Can self-organization of scientific communication be specified by using
literature-based indicators? In this study, we explore this question by
applying entropy measures to typical "Mode-2" fields of knowledge production.
We hypothesized these scientific systems to be developing from a
self-organization of the interaction between cognitive and institutional
levels: European subsidized research programs aim at creating an institutional
network, while a cognitive reorganization is continuously ongoing at the
scientific field level. The results indicate that the European system develops
towards a stable level of distribution of cited references and title-words
among the European member states. We suggested that this distribution could be
a property of the emerging European system. In order to measure to degree of
specialization with respect to the respective distributions of countries, cited
references and title words, the mutual information among the three frequency
distributions was calculated. The so-called transmission values informed us
that the European system shows increasing levels of differentiation.