This project aims to explore the drivers and barriers of blockchain adoption in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. A Blockchain Attitudes Adoption Index will be constructed for all African nations using data from social media, news articles, and Google search trends. Ghana will be used as a case study to collect original data and assess the perceived potential benefits and risks of blockchain from the perspectives of individuals and regulators.
Additionally, the security impact of blockchain censorship will be studied, as well as the implications of revising and updating the DAO Model Law v1.0. The experiences, challenges, and opportunities of using Ethereum as a microcredit system in developing countries will be explored, and an in-depth analysis of the Ethereum developer community and its software complexity will be conducted.
Furthermore, a comprehensive global resource of historical governance practices, with a focus on non-Western contexts, will be established. The legal implications and potential liabilities of network participants, such as validators, will be explored, and the potential risks to Ethereum’s structure and operations will be addressed.
Finally, an ethnographic study of the Ethereum and Bitcoin communities will be conducted, and an open-source toolkit providing interactive access to and visualization of gathered data will be developed. A postdoctoral research position at MIT will be established, and data-driven analysis techniques will be applied to uncover patterns pertinent to Ethereum. An ethnographic study focusing on Ethereum client developers will be conducted to gain insights into the dynamics of the development community.
