Abstract:
This thesis examines the 2014 Scottish independence referendum through the lens of
social media. In September of 2014, a vote was held in Scotland to determine whether or
not it should sever ties with the United Kingdom and become an independent country.
During the lead up to this referendum, people took to Twitter and other forms of social
media to discuss the upcoming vote and issues surrounding the event. Using locational
information in Twitter feeds, a comparison is made between the digital discussion
surrounding the vote and the physical happenings. Data for the week leading up to the
referendum was collected and analyzed for geographic differences between the two main
campaigns.