The concept and character of places Flashcards
Changing Places
What is the geographical definition of place?
A place is made up of it’s geographical location, as well as the physical and human characteristics and the emotional meanings attached to it.
What is a sense of place?
The emotional connections and attachments individuals form with specific locations and environments, encompassing both positive and negative feelings.
What is an example of how the physical characteristics of a place may change over time?
Places can change in the short-term, such as when volcanoes erupt changing the landscape, or in the long-term, such as the changing shape of a river.
What is an insider?
An insider is someone who is familiar with a place and feels welcome in that place. They are aware of physcial characteristics of the place, such as it’s topography, as well as human characteristics, such as it’s daily rhythms and events.
What is an outsider?
An outsider is someone who feels unwelcome or exluded from a place, and don’t feel that they belong there. For example, migrants do not share the same cultural values as the residents of the country.
What factors affect peoples perception of place?
G= Gender
R= Race
A= Age
S= Sexuality
P= Performing role
What is an experienced place?
Experienced places are places that people have spent time in. When a person visits or lives in a place, their experiences shape their sense of place.
What is a media place?
Media places are places that peopl have not been to, but have created a sense of place for through their depiction in media (e.g. books, art and films).
What is a near place?
Near places can be ones which are geographically close to where a person lives. People are more likely to be insiders in near places as it is more likely that they have experienced them and be confortable in them. However, not all people will feel like insiders in near places, due to things such as marginalisation.
What is a far place?
Far places can be ones which are geographically distant from where a person lives. People are more likely to feel like outsiders in far places as they are less likely to have experienced them and feel confortable in them.
How has globalisation affected near/far places?
Globalisation has allowed time-space compression to occur, making some far places feel emotionally closer as they are quicker to get to and can be experienced easilly and frequently. People can also remain closely connected with people and activities in far places via the internet.
What is placelessness?
Placelessness is the idea that globalisation can make two separate geographical places look and feel the same despite not being in the same place, e.g. McDonalds, Airports etc.
What are exogenous factors?
Exogenous factors are external factors which shape a place’s character.
What are endogenous factors?
Endogenous factors are internal factors which shape a place’s character.
Name three physical examples of endogenous factors.
1= Location
2= Topography
3= Environmental Features
Name three human examples of endogenous factors.
1= Land Use
2= Built Environment
3= Demographic & Economic
Name four exogenous factors.
1= Location to other places
2= Tourism
3= Flows of investment
4= Migration
How does location influence a places character?
Places can be characterised by the features that are present because of their location, e.g a coastal place may be characterised as a port due to it’s proximity to the sea.
How does topography influence a places character?
Places can be characterised directly by topography, e.g. in a mountainous region it would be characterised by steep slopes. Topography can also indirectly affect character by affecting other factors, e.g flat places may be suitable for farming and be characterised by this.
How does physcial geography influence a places character?
Places can be affected directly by physical geography, such as types of rock forming different landscapes, or indirectly, e.g. by a place being characterised for mining industry because it is rich in natural resources.
How does land use influence a places character?
Land use can directly define character as a place will have meanings attached to it based on what is done there. It can also be indirect, for example, residential houses may be low density and offices may be high-rise.
How does the built environment and infrastructure influence a places character?
Places can be characterised directly by infrastructure via their appearence, the impacts it has as well as what the place is known for.
How do demographic and economic characteristics influence a places character?
They can directly impact characteristics as it determines who is in an area and what they are like. Economic factors also influence place, via income or the jobs people do.
How does a places location in comparison to other places influence it’s character?
A place can be infliuenced by places nearby to it. E.g. a village outside a major city can be characterised as commuter settlements.
How does tourism influence a places character?
Tourism affects a places character via the economic benefits and land use changes, as well as influencing its character via its meaning.
How do flows of investment influence a places character?
Flows of investment can influence land use, the built environment as well as the economic characteristics of an area.
How does migration influence a places character?
Migration influences a places character as it gives them unique demographic characteristics and influence cultural norms and values, however can also cause conflict between insiders and outsiders.
What is meant by land use?
Land use is the human activities that occur on a peice of land, for example, farming, industry, leisure or residential use.
What is meant by built environment?
The built environment refers to aspects of places that are built by humans.
