The Spatial Structures in the Austrian COVID-19 Protest Movement: A Virtual and Geospatial User Network Analysis

Umut Nefta Kanilmaz (), Bernd Resch, Roland Holzinger, Christian Wasner and Thomas Steinmaurer
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Umut Nefta Kanilmaz: Department of Geoinformatics—Z GIS, University of Salzburg, Schillerstraße 30, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Bernd Resch: Department of Geoinformatics—Z GIS, University of Salzburg, Schillerstraße 30, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Roland Holzinger: Department of Communication Science, University of Salzburg, Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 18, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Christian Wasner: Department of Communication Science, University of Salzburg, Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 18, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Thomas Steinmaurer: Department of Communication Science, University of Salzburg, Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse 18, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by policy measures to combat the virus, evoked public protest movements world-wide. These movements were formed not only in the virtual world but also through local protest gatherings. In contrast to previous research that studied movements in the virtual world through digital network analysis, this study recognizes the importance of the spatial dimension of social movements through local interaction. We therefore introduce a large-scale spatial–social network analysis of a georeferenced Twitter user network to understand the regional connections and transnational influences of the local movement through the virtual network. Our findings indicate that the virtual social network is distinctly structured along geographic and linguistic boundaries. Furthermore, our analysis of transnational influences reveals that the connections within Austria itself hold greater significance compared to their impact on external regions.

Keywords: spatial–social network; geosocial media; hot spot analysis; network centralities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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