Lesson 2

Concept of Place

The concept of place

Agnew has suggested that the geographical concept of place has three different aspects:

1. Location – where a place is on a map, its latitude and longitude e.g. Harrogate is 53.9921° N, 1.5418° W

2. Locale – each place is made up of a series of locales or settings where everyday life activities take place, such as an office, a park, a home or a church. We behave in a particular way in these places, according to social rules we understand.

3. Sense of place – the subjective (personal) and emotional attachment to place, its meaning. Different groups or individuals may have a different sense of the same place e.g. some may see a city centre as a place of excitement and opportunity, others may see it as a place of stress.

Stretch and challenge

Places are more than just their location…look at the stimulus images of Harrogate below alongside the description of Glastonbury and write a

description of place for Harrogate.

What does place mean to different people?

Kos, GreeceOld Trafford, Manchester

How might the following people feel about this place and why? - A Man U fan, a Man City fan, a current Man U player, a former player, opposition players, Sir Alex Ferguson.

How might the following people feel about this place and why? – A refugee, a tourist, a Kos local, local businesses, a charity, the Greek government.

Stretch and Challenge

Who is likely to have the greatest attachment to each place? Why? What factors influence a person’s attachment to a place?

Please can you read the below newspaper article about Kos, Greece and write a paragraph about how different groups (refugees and tourists) may feel differently about the same place.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/05/refugees-and-holidaymakers-in-kos-patrick-kingsley

• What views are each group (refugees and tourists) likely to have about the place? (think about how they might feel about the place and what it might mean to them)

• How might they experience the place differently?

• What factors might influence how they feel about the place? E.g. age, ethnicity, socio-economic status (wealth), etc.

• Which is likely to have a greater attachment to Kos as a place? Why?

Please can you bring your notes to our lesson on Thursday, when you'll be sharing your ideas through a class discussion.

Homework - Kos, Greece