Meaning and representation Flashcards
What is ‘sense of place’?
the emotional bond or relationship developed between a person and a place which can eventually result in the place becoming part of the person’s identity
What factors influence the attachments people form to places?
- atmospheric characteristics
- physical scenery and landscapes
- personally important experiences
- emotional associations (comfort, familiar)
- cultural identity
What is a contested space/place and why are they contested?
when members of the same community have a difference in opinion as to what the place means to them
- due to differences in the activities undertaken or jobs they work
Give an example of a contested space/place
LAKE DISTRICT
TOURISTS/LEISURE MAKERS:
- connect to beauty of LD due to physical and mental respite
- associate with fun and relaxing
- 85% of 16.4m annual visitors to LD have been before
FARMERS:
- see it as a place with long hours and low pay
- think it crammed with disrespectful tourists leaving gates open and trespassing
- not a place of relaxation and beauty
What is a ‘sense of dislocation’?
the feeling of being out of place and finding it hard to become part of a place
What can a ‘sense of dislocation’ be influenced by?
PHYSICAL ISSUES:
- rented accommodation/short term housing tenancies
- living without a residency
- wanting to go elsewhere
SOCIAL ISSUES:
- discrimination
- prejudice
- exclusion
- limited education
- language barriers
- limited social opportunities
DEPRIVED AREAS
LONE PARENTING
Give an example of a place where underrepresentation can bring a ‘sense of dislocation’ and give the barriers
LAKE DISTRICT
13.1% English pop = 16-24
- 3% LD visitors = 16-24
16.7% English pop = BME
- 3% LD visitors = BME
BARRIERS:
- cost
- lack of awareness
- transport
- racism in the countryside
How can language emphasise a ‘sense of dislocation’?
Give an example
In places where English proficiency is low, there is a:
- very low feeling of togetherness
- low sense of belonging
- little community cohesion
- increased segregation
- high social tension
because there is a lack of ability to communicate or effort to try to communicate
e.g. Manning Ward, Bradford
- 38% EP poor or non-existent
Give an example of where inclusion can reduce a ‘sense of dislocation’
NYC
- “Cultural Capital of the World”
- welcomes newcomers into various diaspora communities
- MELTING POT: adopts/absorbs new migrant values rather than resisting/rejecting other cultures
(progressive acceptance) - largest Chinese pop in US, largest Asian-Indian representation and largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel (BAGELS!!!)
What is progressive acceptance/melting pot?
adopting/absorbing new migrant values rather than resisting/rejecting other cultures
How can place be represented?
Formally
Informally
What is formal place representation?
Give an example
- objective
- based on facts
- statistical representation (census, map data)
e.g. GCSE textbooks
What is informal place representation?
Give examples
- not necessarily reflecting what exists in the world
- creative/stylised/selective
TAKEN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PERSON:
- they decide what is shown/cropped
- ‘real world’ airbrushed out
- trying to create an atmosphere
e.g. media
- art, TV, photography, ads, literature
- ‘Mr and Mrs Andrews’ painting by Thomas Gainsborough: partial view of English landscape 1750, preserved for leisure of the elite with no evidence of farmland labourers. Reinforced social and power relationships of the time
- murals and graffiti = chime with certain groups, can unite or divide. They tend to be in culturally diverse areas
London, Brixton: Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s going on’ mural celebrates 50th Anniversary of album and pays tribute to 1981 Brixton Uprising
What does it mean when a place is used in selling?
when adverts for goods use specific place imagery indirectly as a background to exploit a particular association of that place with the brand
Give examples of places used in selling and the controversy
(usually a positive image)
ARLA MILK
- cows in rolling countryside
HOVIS BREAD
- cobbled street in Shaftesbury, Dorset
CONTROVERSY:
- this is only to create a specific atmosphere with the brand and is not necessarily true
e.g. battery cows have never seen grass in their life
e.g. Hovis produced in a factory, not locally
How does the global travel and tourism industry influence perception of place?
Give an example
- one of world’s largest industries with a global economic contribution of ~$7.6 trillion
- this means there is a lot at stake: portrayal can make or break a destination
- can actively shape the meaning people attach to a place
e.g. ‘Blackpool is Back’
- multi million pound investments in promenade, tower and trams to promote the local image
- boost tourists from 9 million 1998 to 13 million 2024
