Mapping the Public Voice for Development—Natural Language Processing of Social Media Text Data: A Special Supplement of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2022

Abstract

This publication explores how natural language processing (NLP) techniques can be applied to social media text data to map public sentiment and inform development research and policy making. The publication introduces the foundations of natural language analyses and showcases studies that have applied NLP techniques to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. It also reviews specific NLP techniques and concepts, supported by two case studies. The first case study analyzes public sentiments on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines while the second case study explores the public debate on climate change in Australia.