AEA Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Social Media as an Identity Barometer: Evidence From the Russia-Ukraine War
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 114,
May 2024
(pp. 70–74)
Abstract
This study investigates how social media data can be used to study shifts in identity, focusing on Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine war. We analyze VK users' reported language proficiency and the language of tweets and note a significant shift from Russian to Ukrainian during both the early (2014–2022) and later (2022–) phases of the war. Additionally, we observe a positive association at the province level between these language changes and shifts in ethnic identity reported in nationally representative surveys. The findings underscore the effectiveness of social media data in tracking and quantifying shifts in identity.Citation
Abramenko, Serhii, Vasily Korovkin, and Alexey Makarin. 2024. "Social Media as an Identity Barometer: Evidence From the Russia-Ukraine War." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 114: 70–74. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20241056Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D74 Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
- F51 International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- L82 Entertainment; Media
- P26 Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems; Property Rights