Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.11.22.3

Sentiment Analysis of the Syrian Conflict on Twitter

Danijela Lucić orcid.org/0000-0002-5658-3220 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Department of Sociology
Josip Katalinić ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Department of Information and Communication Science
Tomislav Dokman ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Department of Information and Communication Science

Abstract

Social media have become an important means of imposing ideas and interests in social‏ conflicts. The Syrian conflict is analysed using sentiment analysis of tweets in order to establish how the‏ sentiment shapes the modern political landscape and influences recipient knowledge. The importance of‏ social networks and their potential in overthrowing regimes as well as in radicalization are highlighted.‏ The authors suggest several stages that can be used for analysing tweets and how they impact the reader‏ with selected narration. Sentiment analysis is used on a trained data set as a way to gain insight into‏ tweets of different factions in the Syria conflict. Selected tweets on missile strikes were published on 14‏ April 2018 and the day after. The Twitter profiles of three different sides – pro-Assad, pro-West and anti-‏ Assad – were also analysed. The results show that there is a real battle on social media with the purpose‏ of influencing human emotions.‏

Keywords

Syria conflict; Arab Spring; Syria miss ile strikes; Twitter; sentiment analysis

Hrčak ID:

253375

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/253375

Publication date:

9.3.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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