ANTHROPOLOGY OF PLACE.
This study is aimed to show that a place is a social construction created by the process of human interaction, primary to the construction of society and related to social order. The major part of this research will focus on how a place is created through social interaction. This will show the importance of human relations, practices and experiences on the creation of a place. By knowing the effects of social interaction to a place, we can have a better understanding of our society. Since society cannot exist without a place, the study of their relationship is key to understanding both place and society.
One may ask why it is important to point out the relationship of place and society. Both is intertwined with each other, place affects social interaction and social interaction, such as different human activities, affects the environment.
The place in which I live in has undergone a lot of changes through the years. The changes in the environment has affected some of the people living in our area. Noticing the behavior of the people on the changes within their environment has led me to prove this study.
There will be three major parts that will be pointed out in this study. The first part would be the social interaction that creates the place. The second part is the importance of place to the construction of society. The last part would be the relation of place to the social order and hierarchy.
Place is a social construction created by the process of human relations, experiences and practices. Everything we do affects the place we live in, whether it is positive or negative. The land around us is a reflection, not only of our practical and technological capacities, but also of our culture and society of our very needs, our hopes, our preoccupations and dreams (Malpas 1). This statement clearly points out the relationship of human relations with the environment.
A place can evoke different emotions on each individual. One person may have strong affinity for a certain place while another person may not have any feelings towards that same place at all.
The concept of place should actually be psychological or interactional, not just physical. The environment is made up of a combination of physical and social features the sense of place is an experience created by the setting combined with what a person brings to it. In other words, to some degree we create our own places, they do not exist independent of us. (Steele, The Sense of Place)
Steele states that the concept of place is psychological, which means that a person creates his or her own place. A common example of this is when a person is going back to the place where he was born and has spent most of his childhood days. The birthplace evokes strong memories for that person giving that place a higher level of importance. The strongest and most enduring relationships described by men and women are attachments based on personal history with a place (Cross 3). Personal history is deeply rooted in the consciousness of a person. Staying in one place for a long period of time will create memories and lots of experiences.
A place is what takes place ceaselessly, what contributes to history in a specific context through the creation and utilization of a physical setting (Ped, 279). A place is not only what can be quantified as a location, but it is also an event which can be remembered in history.
In every country we all have different cultures, different ways of living and different beliefs and practices. This is one proof that a place is indeed a social construction created by human practices and relations. The environmental setting in Thailand is very different from the setting in London, this is because of the difference in culture and practices between the two countries.
The place is primary to the construction of meaning and society. Without place there will never be a society because there will be nothing to be built upon.
Whatever is true for space and time, this much is true for place we are immersed in it and could not do without it. To be at allto exist in any wayis to be somewhere, and to be somewhere is to be in some kind of place. Place is as requisite as the air we breathe, the ground on which we stand, the bodies we have. We are surrounded by places. We walk over and through them. We live in places, relate to others in them, die in them. Nothing we do is unplaced. (Casey, A Philosophical History)
Society chooses a place from which they can build and grow. In order for the society to grow, the place should provide them with everything they need, from food, raw materials and protection from natural causes. Society depends upon what the land and their environment can provide for them. If the basic needs of the society are met, then it can grow and develop. An example of a modern society reaping the benefits of what their land provides for them are the Middle East countries which produces most of the worlds fossil fuel. Having given the example of a nation being powerful and rich because of their land, social order and hierarchy will then be introduced in the society.
Growth of a place causes development in the standard of living of people in a society. Modernization and development can bring a sense of loyalty and security to the society but it can also bear negative results. One such negative effect of modernization in the society is the sense of homelessness. Some people today have lost their connection to the place they came from. Even those who physically stay in place may become homeless (rootless) through the inroads of modern means of communication (such as radio and television) (Harvey, 11). The impact of the internet in the society has also greatly affected our sense of place since we can now communicate with anyone around the world.
Place is related to social order and hierarchy. As mentioned earlier, growth and development of a place will bring about social order and hierarchy in the society. Hierarchy in the early society can be associated by class especially in European countries. In the modern society, hierarchy is usually based on financial status, the disparity of the rich and the poor. Place can also have a hierarchy, countries are labeled today by its economic status as first world or third world country.
A place with a higher social order and hierarchy definitely has power. The society may have accumulated enough wealth to be labeled as a powerful society. However, the modern society has changed this because of the emergence of powerful multinational corporations. The exercise of this power has meant the destruction, invasion and restructuring of places on an unprecedented scale (Harvey, 24).
In the early times, place affects the social order of a society but in the modern era it is the social order that greatly affects the environment. Developed countries are capable of building modern and clean cities, places which are beneficial to the growth of the society. However, in the poor and underdeveloped countries, the environment is being greatly affected by pollution and the continuous depletion of natural resources. Right now the prevailing environmental issue is the global warming which is the result of societys misuse of the environment.
A place is not just a location, an area to be occupied or a destination. It is the experience and the memories of a person that makes a place significant. The sense of place is obtained through years of residence thereby gaining experience which gives the place an identity. The land or place gets its identity from the people and the culture. A place can also be a perception of the person therefore, we create our own place.
Society needs a place in order to develop and grow. Place is the starting point from which a society can flourish. Without a place, society cannot exist. Place is the pedestal from which a society can show off their culture, wealth, religion and their knowledge. It is the platform and the background from which society sprouts from.
There is definitely a relation of place to social order and hierarchy. Even a place with primitive society can have social order. The more developed and modernized the place is, the more that social order and hierarchy is incorporated in the society. Through the years, social order plays a major part in the place and society. In the past, social order instills order in the community and brings development to the place. Without social order and hierarchy in the ancient Egyptian civilization, there would be no monumental pyramids that we can see now in the desert of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian society made the country what it is today, the land where you can see the great pyramids.
Through this study, we can see and conclude that a place is a collection of human interactions. It is a history in itself, full of unwritten stories and tragedies of human experiences. The earth itself, which is a place and a platform for us to live, is full of history even without the human society. The place is the platform for people to live, grow and interact. Without place, there would be nothing. We humans will always have an affinity to a certain place. We sometimes say this place feels like home which gives character to the place because of the emotion it brings us. As time moves, society will change and along with it the place will change with the people.
One may ask why it is important to point out the relationship of place and society. Both is intertwined with each other, place affects social interaction and social interaction, such as different human activities, affects the environment.
The place in which I live in has undergone a lot of changes through the years. The changes in the environment has affected some of the people living in our area. Noticing the behavior of the people on the changes within their environment has led me to prove this study.
There will be three major parts that will be pointed out in this study. The first part would be the social interaction that creates the place. The second part is the importance of place to the construction of society. The last part would be the relation of place to the social order and hierarchy.
Place is a social construction created by the process of human relations, experiences and practices. Everything we do affects the place we live in, whether it is positive or negative. The land around us is a reflection, not only of our practical and technological capacities, but also of our culture and society of our very needs, our hopes, our preoccupations and dreams (Malpas 1). This statement clearly points out the relationship of human relations with the environment.
A place can evoke different emotions on each individual. One person may have strong affinity for a certain place while another person may not have any feelings towards that same place at all.
The concept of place should actually be psychological or interactional, not just physical. The environment is made up of a combination of physical and social features the sense of place is an experience created by the setting combined with what a person brings to it. In other words, to some degree we create our own places, they do not exist independent of us. (Steele, The Sense of Place)
Steele states that the concept of place is psychological, which means that a person creates his or her own place. A common example of this is when a person is going back to the place where he was born and has spent most of his childhood days. The birthplace evokes strong memories for that person giving that place a higher level of importance. The strongest and most enduring relationships described by men and women are attachments based on personal history with a place (Cross 3). Personal history is deeply rooted in the consciousness of a person. Staying in one place for a long period of time will create memories and lots of experiences.
A place is what takes place ceaselessly, what contributes to history in a specific context through the creation and utilization of a physical setting (Ped, 279). A place is not only what can be quantified as a location, but it is also an event which can be remembered in history.
In every country we all have different cultures, different ways of living and different beliefs and practices. This is one proof that a place is indeed a social construction created by human practices and relations. The environmental setting in Thailand is very different from the setting in London, this is because of the difference in culture and practices between the two countries.
The place is primary to the construction of meaning and society. Without place there will never be a society because there will be nothing to be built upon.
Whatever is true for space and time, this much is true for place we are immersed in it and could not do without it. To be at allto exist in any wayis to be somewhere, and to be somewhere is to be in some kind of place. Place is as requisite as the air we breathe, the ground on which we stand, the bodies we have. We are surrounded by places. We walk over and through them. We live in places, relate to others in them, die in them. Nothing we do is unplaced. (Casey, A Philosophical History)
Society chooses a place from which they can build and grow. In order for the society to grow, the place should provide them with everything they need, from food, raw materials and protection from natural causes. Society depends upon what the land and their environment can provide for them. If the basic needs of the society are met, then it can grow and develop. An example of a modern society reaping the benefits of what their land provides for them are the Middle East countries which produces most of the worlds fossil fuel. Having given the example of a nation being powerful and rich because of their land, social order and hierarchy will then be introduced in the society.
Growth of a place causes development in the standard of living of people in a society. Modernization and development can bring a sense of loyalty and security to the society but it can also bear negative results. One such negative effect of modernization in the society is the sense of homelessness. Some people today have lost their connection to the place they came from. Even those who physically stay in place may become homeless (rootless) through the inroads of modern means of communication (such as radio and television) (Harvey, 11). The impact of the internet in the society has also greatly affected our sense of place since we can now communicate with anyone around the world.
Place is related to social order and hierarchy. As mentioned earlier, growth and development of a place will bring about social order and hierarchy in the society. Hierarchy in the early society can be associated by class especially in European countries. In the modern society, hierarchy is usually based on financial status, the disparity of the rich and the poor. Place can also have a hierarchy, countries are labeled today by its economic status as first world or third world country.
A place with a higher social order and hierarchy definitely has power. The society may have accumulated enough wealth to be labeled as a powerful society. However, the modern society has changed this because of the emergence of powerful multinational corporations. The exercise of this power has meant the destruction, invasion and restructuring of places on an unprecedented scale (Harvey, 24).
In the early times, place affects the social order of a society but in the modern era it is the social order that greatly affects the environment. Developed countries are capable of building modern and clean cities, places which are beneficial to the growth of the society. However, in the poor and underdeveloped countries, the environment is being greatly affected by pollution and the continuous depletion of natural resources. Right now the prevailing environmental issue is the global warming which is the result of societys misuse of the environment.
A place is not just a location, an area to be occupied or a destination. It is the experience and the memories of a person that makes a place significant. The sense of place is obtained through years of residence thereby gaining experience which gives the place an identity. The land or place gets its identity from the people and the culture. A place can also be a perception of the person therefore, we create our own place.
Society needs a place in order to develop and grow. Place is the starting point from which a society can flourish. Without a place, society cannot exist. Place is the pedestal from which a society can show off their culture, wealth, religion and their knowledge. It is the platform and the background from which society sprouts from.
There is definitely a relation of place to social order and hierarchy. Even a place with primitive society can have social order. The more developed and modernized the place is, the more that social order and hierarchy is incorporated in the society. Through the years, social order plays a major part in the place and society. In the past, social order instills order in the community and brings development to the place. Without social order and hierarchy in the ancient Egyptian civilization, there would be no monumental pyramids that we can see now in the desert of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian society made the country what it is today, the land where you can see the great pyramids.
Through this study, we can see and conclude that a place is a collection of human interactions. It is a history in itself, full of unwritten stories and tragedies of human experiences. The earth itself, which is a place and a platform for us to live, is full of history even without the human society. The place is the platform for people to live, grow and interact. Without place, there would be nothing. We humans will always have an affinity to a certain place. We sometimes say this place feels like home which gives character to the place because of the emotion it brings us. As time moves, society will change and along with it the place will change with the people.
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