From the big tree to the global village. How does the internet affect notions of emancipation in a globalizing world for rural inhabitants?

Abstract

Historical processes have shown us that the urban population is growing and there is a need for more rural-based studies. Rural areas cannot be considered as just a passive vessel anymore, being influenced by global processes anymore. Rurality and urbanity shape each other where they provide a unique point of view in the globalization discourse. It has become clear that rural and urban areas overlap in various ways, and that the internet is a crucial mediator in this overlap. This research looks into how the internet affect notions of emancipation in a globalizing world for rural inhabitants. Doing this, this thesis analyzes two rural communities in the Central Region of Ghana that both provide a unique place within the internet landscape. Ultimately, the rural urban gap will fade away, as rural and urban places become a fluid continuum.