Trends and Developmental Tasks of Law-Related Education Research in China over the Past Decade: A Visualization Analysis Using CiteSpace Knowledge Mapping

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric and content analysis of law-related education research in China from 2015 to 2024, aiming to identify its thematic evolution, emerging frontiers, and potential for sustainable development. Drawing on 485 CSSCI-indexed articles retrieved via CNKI and visualized using CiteSpace, the research reveals six major thematic domains: foundational theory, school-based legal education, legal training for government officials, rural legal literacy, public legal dissemination, and the construction of legal culture. Four research frontiers are identified—namely, the integrated development of legal education across all school levels, digital transformation enabling legal education, law-related education within the “Grand Ideological and Political Curriculum,” and comparative legal education. Despite significant progress in both theory and practice, challenges remain in constructing a sustainable law-related education ecosystem, particularly concerning theoretical systematization, audience differentiation, and methodological innovation. The study proposes a multidimensional approach that strengthens foundational theory, expands audience-specific strategies, and promotes interdisciplinary research. It concludes by calling for a transition from knowledge transmission to competency-based cultivation, from fragmented implementation to life-cycle education planning, and from domestic experience to global discourse integration—positioning law-related education as a foundational engine for advancing the rule of law and sustainable development.