Rural transformation and consumption in the globalization process: Bursa Cumalıkızık example

Rural areas which have a certain historical and cultural structure have become objects of consumption with the changing meaning of consumption in the process of globalization. The aim of this study is to reveal the physical, economic and socio-cultural changes occurring in rural areas as a result of the integration of rural areas to the consumption economy. Consumption, intertwined with nature and locality are directly influential in the process of change in rural areas. Today, cities are undergoing significant changes as areas where individuals express themselves through consumption and where the statusal dimension of consumption comes to the forefront. The gentrification movement, which was used to describe the physical, social and cultural change that took place in the cities in the 1980s, was also effective in rural areas. Along with the rural gentrification movements, significant changes in consumption have occurred in rural areas. The architectural structure, greenery and historicality of rural areas are marketed to tourists and rural areas become objects of consumption. In this process, the unique values, social relations and architectural structures of rural areas have been redesigned according to the expectations of tourists. In the developing process, physical, economic and socio-cultural values in rural areas have changed and lost their originality. In this study, the concept of consumption affecting rural areas and the concept of rural gentrification are discussed. In the third part of the study, interviews were conducted with twenty-three business owners in Cumalıkızık with semi-structured interview method which is one of qualitative research methods. According to the results obtained from the research findings; Cumalıkızık's rural structure has been eroded and Cumalıkızık has become a consumption area. Keywords: Consumption, Consumption Society, Rural Gentrification, Cumalıkızık