Emilia Groupp

Graduate Student Research Funding | 2020 - 2021 Academic Year

Cultivating the Sun: Solar Development in Rural Tunisia

While development since World War II has largely been driven by abundant, cheap fossil fuels, this model has been increasingly questioned in the face of diminishing oil reserves, rising prices and global climate change. As a result, states and development institutions are investing in expansive solar energy facilities to promote economic development. Yet, it is unclear whether or not the large-scale production of solar- generated energy will enable envisioned results. This research examines a large-scale solar project in rural Tunisia and asks if, and how, the cultivation of solar energy contributes to local development outcomes.

Emilia Groupp, Department of Anthropology

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