"This paper treats aspects of the urbanization of the countryside occurring in southern Colombia. It focuses on those urban-emanating forces that provide rural people with a perspective of 'city' life. The impact of such things as the construction (or improvement) of roads, the role of the media, return visits by ex-villagers, and the urban visiting of country people [is] discussed in terms of social urbanization. This presentation renews the call for eschewing bipolar models for studying migration/urbanization in favor of a broader and more holistic perspective. Furthermore, this article suggests that urbanization is another manifestation of a type of dependency relationship."