Changing Spaces Making places Flashcards
What is the definition of place?
A place is a space that has been given meaning by an individuals lived experience.
Places are multifaceted, shaped by shifting flows and connections, with change over time.
What socio-economic characteristics contribute to the identity of a place?
Poverty, education, literacy rates, family size, average income, type of jobs, healthcare, % unemployed
What is the definition of space?
Exists between places and does not have the same meaning attached as a place does. It is a location that can be given a latitude and a longitude.
What is a place profile?
A description of a place, based on the combination of its characteristics.
What political characteristics contribute to the identity of a place?
Political system, effectiveness of local authorities, democracy, monarchy
Parish Council (local)
District Council
County Council (regional)
MP (national)
What cultural characteristics contribute to the identity of a place?
Religion, local traditions, cultures, local clubs, societies
What demographic characteristics contribute to the identity of a place?
Total population, ethnicities, age structure, gender
What physical geographical characteristics contribute to the identity of a place?
Geology, topography, drainage, climate, rivers, coasts, relief, aspect, altitude
What aspects of the built environment contribute to the identity of a place?
Age and style of houses, architecture, infrastructure, housing density, housing quality, landmarks and historical buildings
Explain 2 ways in which religion influences people’s perception of place (4 marks)
Natural landscape features are sacred to religious people, and many have religious meanings built up over centuries, for example the Uluru for Australian Aborigines.
Places of pilgrimage are also significant for religious groups. Sacred temples and other holy temples such as Mecca are significant to many.
How do we understand place?
Location - where a place is, the coordinates
Locale - a place is shaped by people, their cultures and traditions
A sense of place - Personal feelings associated with a place. Developed through lived experience, it reflects emotional and subjective attachment
Lived experience - Actual feelings and personal history of living in a place. The time spent in a place helps develop this
How do emotions influence attachments to a place?
- SOCIAL AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES: if we have positive experiences in a place we are more likely to attribute a strong emotional attachment to it. We also get strong emotions as part of a group, i.e. the strong emotional attachment sports fans have to their team’s home ground. People often have a similar, deeper attachment to nations. Especially true of people exiled from their homeland, eg. the Kurds.
- EMOTIONS EFFECT OUR BEHAVIOUR IN A PLACE: eg. Auschwitz - sad, shocked, upset, emotional = quiet, thoughtful. Glastonbury - excited, happy = loud, dancing, carefree
What effects how people perceive place?
Gender
Religion
Age
Sexuality
Role
How and why do people experience places differently based on their identity - age?
Places change in purpose for people as they move through their life cycle, eg. a park for a 4 y/o is an exciting place to play, for a 16 y/o a place to hang out, and for an 80 y/o a place to walk or take grandchildren.
Perception will also change when people revisit a place with different people.
The place will change over time.
How and why do people experience places differently based on their identity - gender?
Places can be described as male or female, a reflection of society’s traditional view on gender roles. For example a football stadium would be perceived as typically male, and a home would be perceived as typically female.
Women tend to feel less safe than men is spaces like dark alleyways, i.e ‘geography of fear’ - places with an unsafe perception are avoided.
What is an example of a place where geography of fear is prominent?
- Molestation statistics
- Rape statistics
New Delhi - India –> women try to avoid dangerous areas and going out in the dark.
- Molestation is reported every 2 hours
- Rape is reported every 4 hours.
How and why do people experience places differently based on their identity - sexuality?
Some places acquire a meaning because they are places where groups of people with the same orientation gather. Cities such as London, Brighton and Bristol have large concentrations of LGBTQ+ communities in certain areas, providing security. The ‘pink pound’ often brings economic benefits to an area, and can be used as a catalyst for regeneration.
How and why do people experience places differently based on their identity - religion?
Some places have religious and spiritual meanings which have been established over centuries. Natural features such as the Urulu play a key role in some religions, and are sacred to Aboriginals.
Religious buildings such as the Great Mosque of Mecca form an essential part of worship and ritual, e.g. churches, synagogues and mosques.
Places of pilgrimage are sacred to many religions, e.g. Mecca.
How and why do people experience places differently based on their identity - role?
As peoples’ roles change, places’ meanings change too. eg. for children their school has very different connotations and meanings than for their parents, or for an adult without children
Role also influences perceptions of fear, anxiety and security, e.g. as a parent your perception of potential threats such as traffic may be heightened.
How and why do many have a strong emotional attachment to their homeland - case study?
The Kurds
Who are the Kurds?
An ethnic group spread across Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. There are about 28-30 million living in the heartland, making them the largest stateless nation in the world.
What four countries does Kurdistan include?
Turkey, Iran, Syria, Iraq
Describe the human geography of Kurdistan
High unemployment (14%), low GDP ($4,452), economy largely based on oil industry and agriculture - valuable to Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria
Give an example of a place of national significance to the Kurds, to which strong meaning is attached?
The Erbil Citadel - a Kurdish settlement built progressively on top of itself - a symbol of national pride as it shows how long they’ve been there. Strong meaning