Meaning of place Flashcards
How should places been understood as?
They are dynamic and should be understood as a coming together of people, ideas, wealth and information rather than a simple location.
Factors that can change the character of a place and what do they affect?
- Economic factors
- Migration
- Conflict
- Terrorism
- Industrial accidents
- Natural disasters
- Climate change
- These factors can change the way that a place is perceivedand the lives of the residents and workers there.
What are the 8 key agents of change?
- Migration and conflict
- Terrorism
- Industrial accidents
- Natural disasters
- Climate change
- Government policies
- Multinational corporations
- International or global institutions
What is meant by meaning?
This relates to the individual or collective perceptions of place.
What are the 10 various ways places are given ‘place-specific meanings’?
- Capital-intensive regeneration
- advertising and representation in the media
- State intervention and private sector inward investment
- Land-use change: introduction of new schools and universities
- Activities of artists, photographers, writers, musicians, and film directors
- Prime employment sector e.g. Liverpool - docks, Manchester - warehouses + factories, Old street - silicon roundabout
- The historical element of the place e.g. York is known for its historical buildings
- Events such as making them culture capital through the help of the EU
- Making them excel at one specific factor e.g. science or sustainability
- New city slogan
Different stakeholders that create place-specific meanings
- International, national, and local government
- Corporate bodies and tourist agencies
- Community/local groups and individuals
How do international, national, and local governments help to create place-specific meaning?
- Campaigning for prestigious titles etc. which can bring in tourism and massively boost the economy as shown in Hull (EU Culture Capital)
- Local government can give the area new slogans to make it seem nicer
- Pour money into the redevelopment of the area e.g. Liverpool Waters £5.5bn investment which will attract tourists, businesses, and further investments
- Local government can introduce museums highlighting the place-specific history
How do corporate bodies and tourist agencies help to create place-specific meaning?
- Can highlight the heritage of an area in order to attract tourists.
- Investments into the community can help boost economy
- The introduction of big brands into an area can draw people to it
- Large corporations can turn a place into a ‘technology hub’ – old street
- British businesses such as Marks and Spencer Tesco and Sainsbury’s (often acting as anchor stores)
- Transnational corporations
- National and global investors in property and infrastructure (including the sovereign wealth funds who are the owners of the UK’s various Westfield Centres, including Stratford, London, where an estimated 10,000 people are employed).
How do community/local groups/individuals help to create place-specific meaning?
- Musicians, artists, authors can all contribute to the way a place is viewed - Oasis made Manchester a big scene for Britpop, J.K. Rowling changed the meaning of Kings Cross Station for many people, middle earth in NZ changed due to the Lord of the Rings -
- Communities can come together to push the government towards changing the area e.g. eco-districts
- Social networks play a bigger community-building role, helping to catalyse neighbourhood co-operation and social action.
- a post-riot clean-up Twitter campaign showed how social media can be used to inspire people to participate in improving their home place’s image. In Clapham and Hackney, hundreds of people turned up with brooms to sweep the streets
- CSCB (coin street community builders) helped to clean up the area and regenerate it
What is representation?
This relates to how a place is portrayed or seen in society.
What do perceptions of international places tend to be influenced by?
- They tend to be influenced by the media rather than by personal and direct experience.
- or by Historical and political relationships or Trading links.
What is place marketing?
This is where a positive perception of place is created by companies commissioned by the government.
What is rebranding?
- This is turning a negative perception of a place into a more positive one at local, national and international levels
- It is redeveloped and marketed so that it gains a new identity.
- Can attract New investment, retailing, tourists and residents
. - It will encourage people to live, visit and invest in the area.
- geographers argue rebranding must start from the inside This is because an understanding of a place is needed in order to rebrand it.
What is a problem with rebranding?
- It is challenging to satisfy all of the stakeholders.
- Some stakeholders may want to protect and project the place whereas others might want to establish place brands.
What are three different things that place brands may be based on?
- Government incentives
- Available technology
- International links