3.2.2.2.2 cp meaning and representation Flashcards
what is sense of place
the feelings of attachment we have to
certain places. We experience place, for example, by living and working there or by visiting them. From these ‘real-life’ experiences and memories, we develop a sense of place
how do different people view places
attach different meanings to the same place, different people may see the same place as beautiful and unattractive
how people feel about places is often dependent on their experiences, insiders/outsiders or positive or negative experience
what is perception of a place
is it developed through what people have heard, seen or read about a place
what influences perception of a place
level of wealth, level of education, age, access to media, access to travel
how do we collect data on peoples sense of place and perceptions
formal techniques, first space representations, second space representations and third space representations
what are the formal techniques
census data statistics and cartography, do not tell us how people feel about a place
what is first space representations
means to attempt to understand a place in terms of quantitative analysis, what is physically present in a place and is empirically measurable
what is secondspace representations
subjective accounts of personal experience and capture a sense of place in a way that first space accounts cannot
what is thirdspace representations
both qualitative and quantitative data
what other factor affects how people feel about places
how they are represented to people
what is representation of place
how individuals, or organisations such as businesses or councils, portray places they know about to others
example of how representations differ depending on perceptions
Individuals who are proud to come from a place may present it to others in
a positive way. Individuals who have had a bad experience may present
it negatively.
Organisations e.g. tourism companies or local councils may present
places positively as they stand to gain from how places are perceived. Newspapers may focus on the negative aspects of a place in circumstances where it may help them to sell more copies
why are meanings and representations important
they can change how people behave towards those places e.g. positive feelings about a place may make someone go on holiday or invest in a business there. Negative feelings may make them avoid that place, people also generate their identity based on places they feel connected to
who and why would manage or manipulate perception of place
groups such as external agencies try to influence peoples sense of place or even create new meanings so they can chnage peoples bahviojr towards those places
what are the 3 groups who try to influence sense of place or create new meanings for places
Governments, corporate bodies and communities or other groups
what do Governments want to do
want to attract people and or investment, strategies to do this include place marketing, rebranding and re-imaging
What is a Corporate bodies and how do they influence place meaning
an organisation or group of persons that is identified by a particular name, Examples include institutions, businesses, non-profit enterprises and government agencies
For example the Lake District being named the adventure capital of the UK and websites such as visit Keswick and Harrogate
How do communities or other local groups influence perceptions of a place
take an active role in managing and
improving the perception of their place to improve the local economy, for example by attracting investment, improve opportunities and services within the area and the lives of local people
For example, local people and business owners in Ludlow promote the town through organising a food festival every year – this associates Ludlow with good food and attracts visitors to the area
what are the three main strategies used to alter place perception
Place marketing, re imaging and rebranding
what is place marketing
how places are sold to consumers, the people who will partially visit move to the area or invest money there
What does place marketing involve
Marketing or public relations companies may be employed by national and local government to improve and create positive perceptions of place, these companies produce websites, design logos, run advertising campaigns and social media pages all designed to promote a particular place
Example : Lake District is being promoted as the adventure capital of the Uk through a website and related social media pages which have details of the activities in the area
what is re-imaging
changing exiting negative perceptions of places, aim to create new positive set of ideas, feelings and attitudes
what is an example of re-imaging
In Liverpool Deindustrialisation had caused economic downturn and riots in 1981 and dominated newspaper headlines, Large scale regeneration began and the Tate Liverpool art gallery was one of a number of projects aimed at re-imaging the city’s industrial heritage through culture, the Merseyside development corporation used to term ‘there’s life in the old docks yet’, this regeneration was a key factors In Liverpool winning the title of European Capital of a culture in 2008
what is rebranding
also used to discard negative perceptions of place, giving new identity that is appealing to people and investors
what is involved in rebranding
achieved through reimaging, place marketing and regeneration schemes.
As part of rebranding, many places create logos and slogans that are designed
to be instantly recognisable and create positive associations with the place they
are representing
what are the issues with rebranding
Different stakeholders may include pre-existing residents, local businesses,
potential investors, local government and potential homeowners or visitors and the challenge is to satisfy as many of these groups as possible
Pre-existing residents often want to protect and project their local distinctiveness while development agencies seek to establish place brands based on government incentives, available technology and an area’s international links.
Some city regeneration schemes have actually driven out the locals they originally intended to help, as rising property prices and rents have favoured more affluent people.
