Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 11.02 Social Sciences
Presentation #1 Title
Home Tweet Home: Can social media define a community?
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
The geography of the Appalachian region has been defined in many ways, from the extent of its mountains to the extent of its poverty. Appalachia as a community is harder to identify on a map. Ulack and Raitz (1982) found that insiders tend to define it more broadly than outsiders, although there is some agreement by both that the central part of the region is definitely Appalachian. The stereotypical tendency of Appalachians to be “reclusive” or “clannish” (Algeo 2003; Straw 2006) contrasted with the highly public nature of social media suggests that self-identification as physically or culturally part of the Appalachian region may not be evenly distributed through the region. Appalachians who have migrated outside the region often retain strong ties to the region and cultural identity (Obermiller, Maloney and Hansel 2006). Likewise, Twitter users have demonstrated predictable, definable connections (Takhteyev, Gruzd and Wellman 2011) that conform to Billig’s (1994) description of “flagging the homeland”. This tendency in Twitter feeds may expose strong pockets of Appalachian identity, and may suggest a reexamination of how the Appalachian region is defined. This paper will examine tweets which contain significant words or phrases, using cluster analysis to determine spatial concentrations of these terms. Clusters will be mapped against conventional definitions of the region, and exclaves of Appalachians outside the region may also be revealed.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Dr. Rock is a community geographer, focused on the implementation of spatial data analysis and geovisualization to improve spatial citizenship. Research interests include rural community development, specifically in Appalachia, how location, community and politics come together to grow or suppress the economic base of a region, and how GIS can be used by nonprofit and grassroots organizations to better fulfill their mission.
Home Tweet Home: Can social media define a community?
Harris Hall 139
The geography of the Appalachian region has been defined in many ways, from the extent of its mountains to the extent of its poverty. Appalachia as a community is harder to identify on a map. Ulack and Raitz (1982) found that insiders tend to define it more broadly than outsiders, although there is some agreement by both that the central part of the region is definitely Appalachian. The stereotypical tendency of Appalachians to be “reclusive” or “clannish” (Algeo 2003; Straw 2006) contrasted with the highly public nature of social media suggests that self-identification as physically or culturally part of the Appalachian region may not be evenly distributed through the region. Appalachians who have migrated outside the region often retain strong ties to the region and cultural identity (Obermiller, Maloney and Hansel 2006). Likewise, Twitter users have demonstrated predictable, definable connections (Takhteyev, Gruzd and Wellman 2011) that conform to Billig’s (1994) description of “flagging the homeland”. This tendency in Twitter feeds may expose strong pockets of Appalachian identity, and may suggest a reexamination of how the Appalachian region is defined. This paper will examine tweets which contain significant words or phrases, using cluster analysis to determine spatial concentrations of these terms. Clusters will be mapped against conventional definitions of the region, and exclaves of Appalachians outside the region may also be revealed.
