Changing Places Flashcards
Placelessness
Loss of uniqueness of place in the cultural landscape, so one place looks like the next
Clone Towns
Urban retail areas dominated by national and international chain stores
Place
A portion of geographic space with a distinctive identity. It has a meaning to people
Location
Spatial area of a place.
Locale
Takes into account the effect that people have on a setting. A place is shaped by people, cultures and the customs within it.
Sense of place
The subjective attachment people have to a place. May be completely different from one perspective to the next.
What are the three theoretical approaches to place?
- Descriptivist
- Social Constructionist
- Phenomenological
Descriptivist approach to place
The idea that the world is a set of places and each can be studied and is distinct.
Social Constructionist approach to place
Sees place as a product of a particular set of processes occurring at a particular time.
Phenomenological approach to place
Not interested in the unique characteristics of a place or why it was constructed. Interested in how individuals experience a place.
What are the three scales we see identity at?
- Localism
- Regionalism
- Nationalism
Localism
An affection for a place or an emotional ownership of it.
Regionalism
Consciousness of, and loyalty to, a distinct region with a population that shares similarities.
Nationalism
Loyalty and devotion to a nation which creates a sense of national consciousness. Patriotism could be considered as an example of sense of place.
What is meant by global sense of place?
Places are dynamic and have multiple identities. They can only be understood by linking that place to places beyond. (Doreen Massey)
Two arguments of the effect of globalisation on a place
- It has led to the homogenization of place. ‘placelessness’ and ‘clone towns’. No place is unique
- Led to increasing significance in place. It has localised places. ‘glocalisation’.
Glocalisation
Products or services that are distributed globally but marketed to appeal to local consumers.
What factors influence sense of belonging? (7)
- Age
- Sex/gender
- Sexuality
- Level of education
- Ethnicity
- Socioeconomic status
- Religion
In what ways does place influence identity?
There can be meaning attached to a place and it can shape cultural identity through identifying with and against a place.
Insider perspective
The person connects with the place and feels a sense of belonging.
Outsider perspective
The person feels no connection to the place and could feel excluded/alienated.
What are the two categories of place?
Near places
Far places
Positionality
Factors that influence how we perceive places such as age, gender, ethnicity and religion.
Endogenous factors (definition)
Any factors thats originate internally. These could be human or physical
Exogenous factors (definition)
Factors that originate externally. Could be influences from other places.
Examples of endogenous factors
- Topography
- Location
- Land use
- Built environment
- Demographics
Near places
Geographically or emotionally near places. Changes the way we experience the place, more likely to feel ‘in place’.
Far places
Geographically or emotionally distant, more likely to feel ‘out of place’. Media has allowed geographically distant places to feel more familiar.
Experienced places
Places we have spent time in (may be geographically distant but feel near and familiar)
Media places
Places you have not been to but have created a sense of place through their depiction in books, tv etc. Often doesn’t reflect reality as it often presents a place in a particular way.
How are rural areas represented?
- Rural idyll
- Rural fearscape
How are urban areas represented?
Utopian vs Dystopian
How might economic factors affect the character of a place?
- Changes in international investment levels
- Changes in government investment
- Second home ownership, gentrification, social housing
How might technology affect the character of a place?
- Loss of high street due to online shopping
- Mechanisation/automation affects employment rates
- Containerisation leads to closure of some ports
How might international organisations affect the character of a place?
- UN: sustainable development goals. Global rates of poverty down from 47% > 14%.
- World Food Programmes: food aid
- World Bank: development projects (post-earthquake reconstruction)
- IMF: Conditions on monetary loans, which include cuts on public spending.
How might policies affect the character of a place?
- Population policies: Influences demographics
- Immigration policies: Cultural characteristics
- Investment into the area
Public place
Open to most people.
Private place
Somewhere you need to be given access to
Define a ‘place as home’
A place where you feel like you can be yourself
Topophobia
A negative response to a place
Topophilia
A strong sense of place/cultural identity
Why is the division between urban and rural areas unclear?
No clear boundaries between rural and urban. Greenbelts are often counted as part of the city.
Placemaking
The deliberate shaping of an environment to facilitate social interaction and improve a communities quality of life.
Localisation
the adaptation of a product or service to meet the needs of a particular language, culture or a desired population’s ‘look and feel’
What factors affect people’s sense of belonging to a place?
- Common language
- National anthem
- Flag
- Cultural events
What is the difference between race and ethnicity when it comes to considering belonging?
Race is usually associated with biology and physical characteristics, whereas ethnicity is linked to cultural expression and identification.
How does well-being and a good place to live and work link together?
having a good place to live and work significantly improves the wellbeing of those who live there
Third Space
The lived space, which combines the first (physical) and second (media/represented) space to create a fully lived space
What is the ‘wicked problem’?
rapid de-industrialisation of school leaver standards - leaving them lacking skills required for remaining industries, leading to unemployment
How does migration impact the character of a place?
- tourism
- rural-urban migration
- creation of a succession of homogenous places
- creation of heterogeneous places with super diversity
- altering the built environment for functional needs
How does terrorism impact the character of a place?
- societal collective trauma
- alters the built environment directly
e. g. New York City, 9/11
How do industrial accidents impact the character of a place?
- societal collective trauma
- alters the built environment directly
e. g. Chernobyl, Ukrainian USSR
How do natural disasters impact the character of a place?
e. g. New Orleans, USA (Hurricane Katrina)
- collective trauma
- damage to infrastructure
How does climate change impact the character of a place?
e. g. The Maldives
- effects of rising sea levels
Detroit Case Study - how did the expansion of the automotive industry change conditions?
- fueled large growth spurt, and population reached 1.85 million
- people moved to work at the big three auto companies (ford, general motors and chrysler)
- city very dependant on the automobile industry
- location ideal due to proximity to Canada
Detroit Case Study - why did detroit decline in the 1970s?
- many jobs were replaced with machinery
- industry shrank during the 1970 energy crisis and 1980 recession
Detroit Case Study - how did the decline in the automotive industry impact economic change?
- city is operating $300 million dollars short of sustainability
- major house price decline: 2012 average price $7,500, 2013 average price $500 or less
Detroit Case Study - how did the decline in the automotive industry impact social inequality?
- 36% of the city’s population is below the poverty line
- by 2010, the vacancy rate was 27.8%
How has Bournville Village in Birmingham changed?
Cadbury’s
- built to house employees from the cadbury factory
- good living conditions and community for them
How has Devonport in Plymouth changed?
New Deal Programme
- after fast growing port town, it became ill-suited to family life
- it has recently been regenerated, and old historical infrastructure has been changed and redeveloped
- people are now living in better conditions than before, and people are much happier, enjoying a better quality of life
How has Medellin in Colombia changed?
Medellin Regeneration Programme and Encicla Initiative
- used to be labelled ‘the most dangerous city in the world’ due to gangs and violence
- has been regenerated and rebranded to be more accessible and less divided
- programmes have been introduced to improve the lives of the disadvantaged