Exploring the use and the role of the Internet in Libya: A study of Tripoli University and Azzaway University students

Gharssalla, M (2018) Exploring the use and the role of the Internet in Libya: A study of Tripoli University and Azzaway University students. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

The aim of this research is to explore the role of the Internet in Libyan society by understanding use of the Internet by the Libyan university students aged between 18-26 who are at Tripoli and Azzawya Universities, which are located in urban and rural areas respectively. The main contribution of this study is that it provides an understanding of the developments that might happen as a result of new communication technologies, especially the Internet. In order to address this research question, a mixed method approach, including quantitative analysis, was adopted to collect and analyse the main data. It used paper and online surveys of 861 students from both universities. It was followed by complementary qualitative interviews with five young Libyan parents and five media experts, and also thematic analysis of nine articles. The results are discussed in five sections: (A) level of Internet use and experience, and (B) purposes of using the Internet and online gratification; (C) anticipation of social, cultural and political online interactivities; (D) online daily interactivity; and (E) the potential development of a “new type of society” in the information age. The study found that the Internet is important in the lives of male and female Libyan university students in both urban and rural areas and it is playing an important role in developing their social, cultural and political lives. The Internet has an important role in the university students’ lives in developing their social, cultural and political aspects, which may lead to the emergence of a “new society” where they achieve social, cultural and political gratification and interact with an open world culture. The findings of this research offer recommendations which can improve understanding of the Internet’s role in society. These include investigating, testing and analysing the role of the Internet in different sectors in society, institutions and organisations, for example within the education system, media environments and commercial departments, in order to measure the role of new communication technologies in developing countries. Key words: Internet, Use, Role, University students, online interactivities, Development, “New society”.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of the Arts
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	30 Nov 2018 14:25
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 01:13
DOI:	10.17638/03028619
Supervisors:	Yates, Simeon ORCID: 0000-0002-7298-8826 Balabanova, E
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3028619