Navigating Inequality in Science : Structure and Agency in International Research Collaboration

International research collaboration stands at a pivotal juncture, shaped by enduring structural inequalities between high-, middle-, and low-income countries and challenged by a trend of withdrawal from international collaboration. These asymmetries can create a misalignment between global scientific progress and the capacity to address pressing societal crises, which often disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. Adopting a critical realist perspective, this thesis examines the interplay of structure and agency in shaping patterns of scientific collaboration across global divides. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, it connects macro-level systemic structures with the meso- and micro-level dynamics of research teams. Findings reveal that inequalities manifest across multiple dimensions of collaboration—including motivations and barriers to partnering, team dynamics, the division of labor, and agenda-setting in projects spanning high- and low-income regions. At the same time, science policy instruments—shaping science diplomacy, researcher mobility, and capacity-building initiatives—carry a dual potential: they can broaden participation while also risking the reinforcement of existing inequalities. The study highlights the dynamic interplay between persistent structures and the role of individual and collective agency in responding to them. Assessing inequality in the current research system provides a foundation for developing pathways toward a future of international collaboration characterized by more equitable and inclusive partnerships.