Changing Places Flashcards
Location
Where a place is on a map
Locale
What happens there or has particular things associated with it
We behave a particular way in these places according to social rules
Sense of place
The subjective and emotional attachment to a place, developed through experience
Three approaches to place
Descriptive - the idea that the world is a set of places and each one can be studied and is distinct
Social constructionist - sees place as a product of a particular set of social processes occurring at a particular time period
Phenomenological approach - interested in personal individual experiences
Insider perspective
Have a stronger relationship with the places they are familiar with
This is why people living within a place are more likely to oppose developments within their hometowns - not in my backyard
Outsider perspective
Sense of place is more vague and abstract
Often look to discover more about the area, however, can feel out of place
4 categories of place
Near + far (geographical and emotional distance)
Experienced - somewhere that a person has spent time in
Media - only seen in TV/film and can be put across by the media (e.g. Happy Valley does not give accurate representation of Hebden Bridge)
Time-space convergence
The impression that distances between 2 locations have decreased due to developments in transport and communication
Birmingham and Peaky Blinders - media place
Put across as being dirty, industrial city with lots of crime, lack of security and economic inequality
People may relate to it through historical or familial links and community spirit between poorer demographics
In reality, still a lot of industry in Birmingham but overall better quality of life than represented
Endogenous factors
Characteristics which have originated internally
May include aspects of the site or land on which the place is built, such as height, relief, drainage, soil type, geology, the availability of resources, and aspect
Historically the character of place was heavily affected by endogenous factors e.g. mining or coastal towns
Exogenous factors
Characteristics which have originated externally
May include links to or influences from other places, distances from / routeways to other / accessibility of the place.
Flows of income, people, investment
Original character of many has changed because of the exogenous influences that have occurred over time
How is globalisation affecting the character of places
Some argue globalisation has made sense less important as it is eroding local cultures and producing identical or homogenised places
Clone town settlements where the high street is dominated by chain stores
Advantages of clone towns
May be cheaper than local stores
Bring investment into the area
More likely to survive → job security
Buildings could be left derelict if not for chains
Disadvantages of clone towns
Reduces identity of an area
Forces local shops out of business (Totnes town petitioned to keep Costa Coffee from opening on the high street)
Profit going out of the area
Conflict in places
May arise when people resist changes focused on their place
e.g.
The redevelopment of areas of East London for the 2012 Olympic Games was not welcomed by everybody
Proposed housing estates, landfill sites, wind farms and bypasses can all create tensions
Government policies in changing places
Regeneration schemes - development of infrastructure - housing, leisure opportunities, business opportunities - attracts business
Financial incentives and enterprise zones - attracts businesses, maybe MNC’s which bring investment into the area - improved infrastructure. Increase in tertiary sector jobs and positive multiplier effect
Multinational corporations in changing places
Closure of factories and movement of production (e.g. Honda closed Swindon factory to move to Japan in 2019) - loss of job opportunities - ex factory workers may be underqualified for other jobs. May reduce money in the area, causing dereliction
Decision to locate shops in towns/cities - may cause conflict within the area. May threaten independent stores who can’t compete with MNC prices
International/global institutions
In 2020, the World Bank was running 24 development projects in Haiti - reconstruction and redevelopment following earthquakes
Sustainable development goals (UN) - could improve environmental quality of urban areas
Shifting flows of people - tourism
Impacts of economic characteristics
Impact on social inequality
Place example
Tourism sector jobs are seasonal and low paying
Increase house prices
Investment in property - community spirit
Transport networks
Move away from primary sector
Inequality - poorer people living in an area but well-off people going on holiday
e.g.
British seaside towns - Scarborough
Magaluf
Shifting flows of people - migration
Impacts of economic characteristics
Impact on social inequality
Place example
Increase in labour supply
Increase in tax → investment
Wage gap may lead to conflict between migrants and locals
Leeds - Alwoodley or Moortown
Brick Lane
