The Impact of Spanish Repression on the Evolution of the Catalan Networked Public Sphere During the Post-Referendum Crisis (2017–2022)

Abstract

This article analyses the impact on the Catalan networked public sphere of the Spanish repression that unfolded following the organisation of a referendum on Catalonia’s independence in 2017. Grounded in nearly a decade of Twitter data, it reveals significant shifts in public attention towards state repression. Initially marginal, it gained prominence after the police operation started, surpassing general topics until COVID-19 emerged. Yet, its focus remained temporally limited compared to the persistent independence theme. Network analysis highlights media, political, and civil society actors’ influential roles in shaping the Catalan networked public sphere, with a prominence of white, cisgender, male crowdsourced elites leading the conversations.