Changing places: Shifting Flows

Question 1

What are the 4 main flows that cause change to a place?

Answer 1

• Demographic
• Cultural characteristics
• Economic characteristics
• Social inequality

Question 2

How does demographic change impact a place?

Answer 2

• Flows of people = People of a specific gender or age moving to one place (e.g. young couples starting a family in a large city)
• Flows of money and investment = through governments and businesses to invest in an area (e.g. London Docklands)
• Flows of ideas and resources = e.g. the use of birth control to control the population size

Question 3

How do cultural characteristics change a place?

Answer 3

• Flows of people = people moving to a place and bringing their culture
• Flows of money and investment = New cultural ideas introduced to places can change the characteristics of the place e.g. fast food expanding from USA to China

Question 4

How do economic characteristics change a place?

Answer 4

• Flows of people = People visiting places can change the economic characteristics (e.g. tourist destinations)
• Flows of ideas and resources = Outward flow of local/natural products can impact large economies (products can be sold to global markets)
• Flows of money and investment = Positive and negative effect. e.g. reduced investment from global markets has caused decline in primary industries, investment in finance sector creates high value service jobs.

Question 5

How do social inequalities change a place?

Answer 5

• Flows of people = Regional migration from rural to urban areas has changed social characteristics and inequalities e.g. more slums
• Flows of ideas and resources = Outward flow of natural resources from poorer countries can change social inequality e.g. oil
• Flows of money and investment = Gentrification has improved social characteristics, but can also increase inequality (e.g. Notting hill)