Wikipedia Disputes Reflect Geopolitical Instability
Author Information
Author(s): Gordana Apic, Matthew J. Betts, Robert B. Russell
Primary Institution: Cell Networks, University of Heidelberg
Hypothesis
The frequency of disputes in Wikipedia pages linked to a country can serve as an indicator of that country's geopolitical stability.
Conclusion
The Wikipedia Dispute Index correlates with traditional indicators of political stability and remains stable over time despite changes in the underlying disputes.
Supporting Evidence
- The Wikipedia Dispute Index correlates with other indicators of political stability.
- Disputes in Wikipedia reflect regional instabilities across the world.
- The index remains stable over time despite changes in the underlying disputes.
Takeaway
This study shows that the number of arguments on Wikipedia about a country can tell us how stable that country is.
Methodology
The study calculated the Wikipedia Dispute Index by comparing the number of disputed pages linked to a country against the average number of disputes across all countries.
Potential Biases
The index is derived from a platform with many contributors, which may introduce subjectivity.
Limitations
The index may not capture all nuances of geopolitical stability and is influenced by the availability of pages in different languages.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website