Changing Places Flashcards
define a “space”
a simple concept - the physical location that a place is in, with no social meaning. it has no meaning - Tuan (1977)
define a “place”
a much more complex concept - a space with meaning. It is socially produced through practices eg. routines/ journeys then reproduced by media + lived by people (Lefebvre)
What are the 3 requirements for a space to become a place (according to Agnew 1987)?
- location
- local
- sense of place
define “location” of a place
the material setting of a place - eg. the location on a map
define “locale” of a place
the settings affecting everyday social interactions - help forge values, attitudes + behaviours. eg. the impact of the presence of the church on the cultures, history + customs within a place
define “sense of place”
the subjective (personal) and emotional attachment people have to a place
what is the common thread running through different definitions of place?
for a space to become a place there needs to be some sort of emotional attachment/association with the space
give an example of a place
the park - it holds meaning for lots of people, but different meanings depending on the person:
- some use it to exercise
- some use it to hang out with friends
- some use it to play on the equipment
- some use it as a shortcut home
the different emotional importance it holds for different individuals is what changes it from a public space to a place
how big is place?
- not spatially fixed - it has no boundaries or size - socially made
- has lots of different scales - from a favourite armchair in front of the fire at home to a whole village, megacity and beyond
- easier to study place at a smaller local scale - eg. the high street/a neighbourhood in the city
explain the concept of place
- each place has a different meaning to different people - its highly personal, experiential and subjective
- can be applied to any scale - especially during times of rapid political change or public events (eg. Olympics) - shared feelings of belonging/attachment in response to external stimulus
- not fixed spatially or temporally - eg. cruise ship invokes sense of belonging in cruisers for the length of the cruise
- attachment to a place can also be due to historical events or individual life events - shown in architecture + iconography
- eg. attachment to place you grew up in as a child + attachment to place your ancestors grew up in
- places are dynamic - as people, ideas and objects pass in and out in space and time, they change the place
what is the tourist gaze?
- organised by entrepreuners + govts - consumed by the public
- even sites where lots of people were killed (eg. Ground Zero) are marketed + managed by tourism professionals
- they choose what vistors can access - they mediate our sense of place
- BUT tourist sites still have different meanings/importance for each individual visitor - based on prior experiences, sense of place
how is place significant in protest?
powerful in political protest in reaction to unpopular regimes + issues with capitalism
what are some examples of significant places where protest has taken place?
- St. Paul’s Cathedral, London - Occupy movement - campaign against global social + economic inequality - significant coz its the financial centre of London
- Tahir Square, Cairo (2011) - focal point of Egyptian revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak. now symbol for current Egyptian democracy demonstrations
how is place significant in society?
- “life chances are materially affected by the lottery of location” - Crang
- “Where we are is part of who we are”
- place is really significant in the formation of our personal identity (eg. based on where we are from) and what we think of other people and therefore how we interact with them
how do we experience places during travels?
(based on Liz Taylor 2004)
- getting to an unfamiliar city - use a map to establish relative location, follow road signs (may trigger memories), stop at service station (a point of transit)
- in the city - follow signs for where to park, how to get to places etc
- sightseeing: sense of awe in a place of worship, feeling like back in time in the castle dungeons, etc
- home: hopefully a place of safety + security - reconsider the trip in the future
define “placelessness” (The Dictionary of Human Geography)
The condition of an environment lacking significant places and the associated attitude of a lack of attachment to place, cased by the homogenising effects of modernity eg. commercialism, mass consumption, standard planning regs, alienation and obsession with speed and movement
what are some examples of placeless places?
- airport terminals
- motorway service stations
- McDonald’s
- new housing developments
- shopping centres
what is a clone town?
a town with a high street that has all, or nearly all, chain stores - happens when global/national forces have a greater influence that local factors
Cheltenham is in the top 10 clone towns
what are near and far places?
- another category of place
- based on: geographical distance + emotional connection/personal experience + frequent representational exposure eg. the media
- near places may not always feel familiar - lack of sense of belonging
- distant places may not always feel so unfamiliar - globalisation, media, Netflix shows, etc
Summary of experienced places and media places
- direct experience of a place can create a sense of belonging even fleetingly - visiting a place once - develops a sense of place about the location
- media manipulates your view or understanding of a place - tourism brochures are overwhelmingly positive, social media can be more realistic (but still individual experiences so doesn’t represent everyone’s sense of place)
- digital tech = more connectivity + personalisation -> easier to immerse yourself in a place you’ve never been
- the line between experienced places and virtual places is getting blurred
