8.3 meaning and representation

Place meaning

People attach meanings to places through own experiences of living in a place or visiting it for themselves

Place representation

People attach meanings to a places through own because of how others represent these places to them

Shaping identity - meaning and connections

Meaning of a place is closely linked to its history, culture and representation, how a place is portrayed in literature, media, art etc. This can shape the way it’s perceived by both insiders and new arrivals

Representation - meaning and connections

How a place is represented can significantly influence place meanings

Media representation can create stereotypes or highlight specific aspects of a place - impacts how people engage with a place

Cultural significance -meaning and connections

Meaning of a place can change overtime as its cultural mix changes. Historical events or shifts in societal values can alter the way a place is perceived

Place branding and reimagining - meaning and connection

Branding strategies that aim to shape the image of a place eg to attract tourism or investment, can start to construct new place meanings

Different perspectives on space depending on our perspectives and identities

• Urbana spaces at night can feel threatening to some but enjoyable to others

• Communities can create spaces where they feel safe and at home, in contrast to places they are made to feel unwelcome.

Representation of the world eg through maps

Social constructs, created by a people in a society through shared interpretations and assumptions

Maps

Colonial maps often centred around Europe, reinforcing the construct of European importance and superiority

Eurocentric view has influenced global power dynamics

Toponyms

Names given to places on Earth - indications of how people represent the world to others

Names given reveal a lot about their physical geography/people that live there eg Swindon = Old English for pig valley

Formal representations

Representations of place created by official institutions like the government, advertising agencies or heritage organisations. Eg ordnance survey map, census data

Informal representations

Representation of place created by individuals and groups eg social media post, song , painting, movie

Difference between informal and formal representations of place

Can produce conflicting representations, formal representations require them to accurate (quantitative) and acceptable to larger groups of people, while informal representations don’t need to be accountable in the same way (qualitative)

What do regeneration policies try to do

Change or create new meanings for place, provide the infrastructure and financial incentives that attract new investment, replace negative perspectives and make place identity more attractive

Rebranding

Changing or influencing the image or perception of a place to highlight what makes it more attractive/appealing.

Often driven by need to shift place identity away from negative perspectives

Top-down, involving local governments and marketing agencies

Reimagining

Creating new place meaning by the rethinking of place functions, meaning and purposes.

Can involve wider range of stakeholders and an attempt to change underlying structural issues leading to inequality.

Bottom-up, sometimes driven by grass roots of a community

Example of red branding - Detroit

Was once in urban decline, now rebranded itself as a hub for innovation, art and culture. Has a thriving arts scene, tech start-ups.

Declining industrial city → emerging, vibrant urban centre, Motor City

Heritage effectiveness in attracting visitors

Offers unique characteristics = distinctive place and can link to values, memories and emotions associated with the place