Counterpublics in exile: a computational analysis of Syrian YouTube podcasts during the Assad era

Abstract

This study analyzes long-format YouTube-based podcasts produced by the Syrian diaspora from May 2023 to the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Focusing on Arabic-language content created by young, exiled Syrians, it investigates how political, social, and identity concerns were expressed under conditions of repression. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and BERTopic, the study conducts computational text analysis of podcast transcripts. The analysis found that Syrian youth primarily discussed four key themes: the Syrian Revolution (80.8%), Identity and Belonging (9.6%), Life Under the Assad Regime (6.4%), and Psychological Reflections (3.2%). Syrian podcasts in diaspora created a virtual public sphere for collective memory, activism, and identity negotiation beyond the reach of state control. The findings demonstrate how diasporic podcasts preserved oral histories and fostered transnational Syrian consciousness. This research contributes to global media and communication studies by highlighting how digital platforms support counterpublics and reconfigure discourse within authoritarian and diasporic contexts.