Lesson 2- Approaches to, and Aspects of Place

Question 1

What are the three approaches to studying a place?

Answer 1

• Descriptive – The ideas that the world is a set of places and each are distinct (e.g. a set of coordinates)
• Social Constructionist – places as a product of particular processes occurring at a particular time processes (e.g. radical, postcolonial, feminist geographies)
• Phenomenological – about how an individual person experiences a place (e.g. humanistic, phenomenological, more than representational).

Question 2

The descriptive approach

Answer 2

• This is the idea that the world is a set of places, and each is distinct and unique.
  This would generally involve describing the physical aspects of an area and their characteristics. For Sheffield City Hall, it is a large 12m tall venue and Grade II* listed building in Sheffield, located at 53.38°N and 4.72°W.

Question 3

The social constructionist approach

Answer 3

• This approach sees place as a product of a particular set of social processes occurring at a particular time. It is social processes that therefore help to create places.
  -The cultural geographer Jon Anderson argues that places can be defined and given meaning by the traces that exist within them

Question 4

Eg of social constructionist approach

Answer 4

• Trafalgaer square shows how places are dynamic over time and the processes happening here are changing over time
• It was once associated with a place of triumph anjd victory but since Iraq War protests in 2003 it has changed to a place of protest

Question 5

The Phenomenological Approach

Answer 5

• This approach is not interested in the unique characteristics of a place or why it was constructed.
  -Instead, it is interested in how an individual person experiences place, recognising a highly personal relationship between place and person.

Question 6

Geographers supporting the Phenomenological approach

Answer 6

• ‘Tuan’ developed the term ‘topophilia’ to describe the affective bond between people and place and argued that it is through human perception and experience that we get to know places.
• ‘Relph’ argues that the degree of attachment, involvement, and concern that a person or group has for a particular place is critical in our understanding of place.

Question 7

Topophilia definition

Answer 7

• (From Greek topos “place” and -philia, “love of”) is a strong sense of place, which often becomes mixed with the sense of cultural identity among certain people and a love of certain aspects of such a place.

Question 8

How do these approaches overlap?

Answer 8

• In reality, when studying places we consider a mix of these 3 approaches. We often start with a description of where a place is (descriptive), followed by a consideration of what processes have made that place the way that it is (social constructionist). Finally, we would consider how we and other people feel about the place and our/their connections to it (phenomenological).

Question 9

What are the three different things place can impact?

Answer 9

• Identity
• Belonging
• Well-being

Question 10

Impacts of place: Identity

Answer 10

• Localism-emotional ownership of a particular place. This rarely amnifests itself through a political sense but can be demonstrated in ‘nimbyism’ (not in my back yard) where locals are reluctant to allow thier local area to be changed
• Regionalism-Loyalty to a distinct region with a population that shares imilarities
• Nationalism-loyalty and devotion to a nation which creates a sense of national conciousness. Patriotism is consideredas an example of sense of place

Question 11

Impacts of place:Belongings

Answer 11

• In the context of place, to belong means to be part of the community. Belonging is increasingly seen as one of the key factors that makes a place sustainable and successful.
• Regeneration schemes now often focus as much on the social environment as on the built environment, and the work of different agencies and individuals can have a positive impact on people’s lived experience of the place in which they live.

Question 12

Impacts of place:Well-being

Answer 12

• Individuals will have different views about what makes a place great
• In 2020, the Sunday Times judges deemed Altrincham in Greater Manchester as the best place to live in Britain due to its revitalised town centre, schools, proximity to Dunham Massey and the town’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regional winners included places with different attributes: some because of their ‘high-class high street’, others for their ‘local market’ or their ‘trendy bars sprinkled with history.’