Place Identity

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Place Identity or place-identity ( English for “place” and “ identity ”) is a concept that is considered in integrative geography , in psychology as well as in the social sciences . The focus here is on the importance of a geographically limited area to the people living in it. The Place Identity has received increasing attention in research since the early 1960s.

Definition of the place identity

The place identity describes the strong emotional bond between an individual and a geographically limited place , a city , an area or his home . The self-image of an individual is shaped by places that play a specific, subjectively felt role through experience, experience and memory. In the same way, the place is shaped by the perception of the individual. The character of a place is not determined by physical attributes, but is based on the interaction between people and their subjective perception of the place. There are also historical or cultural associations that give a place a specific identity. The concept that gives a place a new identity by means of applied architecture, art or other modification of the space is called placemaking. Both concepts are closely related, as a new identity of a place is strived for through placemaking. Edward Relph speaks of interconnected components of the identity of a place. According to Relph, the components, appearance of the place, the function of the place and the meaning of the place can be filled with content as desired. In this way, the diversity of a place identity is almost infinite. There is also a differentiation into 7 types of identity: 1. The lived, dynamic identity from an individual perspective. 2. Identity through cultural values ​​of the inhabitants of a place. 3. The identity through the environment, landscape or city views. 4. Identity based on the function of a place. 5. The identity, bestowed by the objective outsider who reduces the place to its location and to a location of various things. 6. The identity through mass media, which can easily be changed due to its independence from empirical values. 7. The casual identity of a place perceived by an outsider.

These different identities within a place identity are not mutually exclusive, but are closely related. In different compositions, they result in an individually perceived identity of a place for everyone.

The home

In addition to the physical properties of accommodation in the form of a house, apartment or room, the home contains far more complex components. The home attribute is given by humans and applied to a specific place. Owning accommodation does not necessarily imply a home . This is created through experiences, experiences and memories. In this way, the home is a man-made identity of a place that stands out from others in its personal bond with the individual. Joanna Richardson's work Place and Identity. The Performance of Home expands the understanding of the home by several aspects. The identity of the home is no longer only shaped by the individual, but the individual identity can also be shaped by the home. In addition, there is an attempt to define home , although it is a concept that is imprecise and fleeting. Because the home does not require a fixed structure. According to Doreen Massey , the home can consist of several places, situations or scenarios. Ernesto Castaneda offers A Place to Call Home in his work . Immigrant Exclusion and Urban Belonging in New York, Paris and Barcelona a detailed view of those people who are trying to found a new home in a foreign country under unfamiliar circumstances. Here, the conflict of the clashing identities is particularly highlighted. Mexican immigrants in New York are perceived as such, even though they have an additional American identity that is increasingly being pushed into the background.

The neighborhood

The neighborhood as an integrative community can influence the identity of the area that is hosting it. Through shared experiences, experiences and solidarity, attributes are imposed on the neighborhood that create identity. This identity, in turn, stands out from that of other neighborhoods. There is consensus among urban sociologists that creating such a neighborhood within a city can only be achieved under difficult conditions. Modern cities offer residents increasing privacy and individuality, which counteract a united neighborhood. The phenomenon of identity creation through neighborhoods can only be found in smaller towns.

The community

The Community ( Engl . Community) is a grouping within a geographically limited location, the same result of sharing interests forms a unit. These groups feel a deep connection to their place of birth and give it a respective identity. Communities are widespread in China and adorn the urban image. Through their close personal ties, they have significantly shaped the development of modern urban China. According to Tony Blackshaw, these communities secure their identity by telling stories about themselves and compared to others. According to Richard Jenkins, the inclusive character of a community is the same that has an exclusion of those who cannot identify with the group. Establishing membership criteria creates exclusion criteria to the same extent.

The competitive identity

This is a concept cited by Simon Anholt , which is similar to that of Nation Branding , but adds additional aspects. According to Anholt, every country, every region , and even every city has a specific identity based on the characteristics it imposes. The city is not reduced to its physical image, but supplemented by attributes that differentiate it from other cities on an international level. Anholt speaks of an international battle for consumers, tourists and entrepreneurs. An individual no longer has time to deal with a region, therefore he has the possibility to fall back on an identity of a region. Examples would be the Parisian affinity for fashion, Japanese technology and Swiss prosperity as well as precision. This reputation makes it easier to realize companies on an international basis. The goal of a government is the same as the goal of the board of directors of a large company whose aim is to generate an internationally recognized reputation. According to Anholt, countries, cities and regions have to be managed in a similar way to companies that position their respective brands in an international market.

The idea of ​​the image of a city

The idea of ​​the image of a city, treated in detail by Kevin A. Lynch, refers to an identity of a city that sets it apart from others in a specific way. In contrast to Simon Anholt's concept, this is not an economic model, but illuminates the creation of the image using examples from various US cities. It is suggested that an image presupposes an identity, structure and meaning. An object in this case a city has an identity that sets it apart from others, a clear structure and a meaning that differs depending on the viewer. The urban planner and architect Lynch reduced his work only to the visible, physical conditions of a city.

Case study: Ebersbach an der Fils

In the example of the Baden-Württemberg city of Ebersbach an der Fils cited by the historian Marcel Thomas, the change in the city's identity is dealt with in a concrete way. Thomas makes it clear that through targeted political activity and place-making, a rural identity has been transformed into an urban one. With the advantage that one hoped for an urban name for the former village, one also tried to maintain the status of a town. Local officials campaigned in the 1950s to emphasize an urban industrial identity. It was hoped to make the city more attractive for investors through an urban identity. Furthermore, the aim was to highlight Ebersbach as an economically leading place on a local political level. This corresponds to the model of competitive identity cited by Simon Anholt, which aims at a favorable alignment of the city's identity in order to be more competitive on an economic level. What was desirable about an urban identity was its modern connotation . Only by emphasizing an urban character could the village be officially transformed into a modern city. The rural aspects were discredited in the 1950s for being out of date and backward. Therefore, an attempt was made to distance oneself as much as possible from a rural identity. Indeed, Ebersbach had urban features such as textile and metal production facilities, a rail link, and few farms. There were also local clubs, which according to Marcel Thomas can be seen as indicators of urban lifestyle. In the 1970s, the city was finally granted the status. Further ambitions of expanding the urban infrastructure followed, which were gradually thwarted. In the 1980s, the attempt at targeted identity change came to an end. Due to the crisis in the textile industry, the city's income fell and further expansion of the infrastructure could not be realized. As a result, the local officials tried to change Ebersbach's identity one more time. The focus has now been shifted back to the original rural character of the place. Ebersbach an der Fils is an example of the unstable character of the place identity, which can be changed through targeted influences on the perception of a place. Marcel Thomas provides a detailed treatment of the issue by additionally drawing on the public opinion obtained from several interviews with local residents.

literature

  • Place Identity and Images The example of Eisenhüttenstadt
  • S. Anholt: Competitive Identity. The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions. New York 2007
  • T. Blackshaw: Key Concepts in Community Studies. London 2010
  • E. Castañeda: A Place to Call Home. Immigrant Exclusion and Urban Belonging in New York, Paris, and Barcelona. Stanford 2018
  • B. Goodman: Native Place, City, and Nation. Regional Networks and Identities in Shanghai, 1853–1937. Berkeley 1995
  • D. Harvey : The Condition of Postmodernity. An Inquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change. Oxford 1990
  • B. Hernandez, Hidalgo, M. Carmen, E. Salazar-Laplace, S. Hess: Place attachement and place identity in natives and non-natives. In: Journal of Environmental Psychology. Volume 27, 2007, pp. 310-319
  • R. Jenkins: Social Identity. London 1996
  • K. Lynch: The Image of the City. Cambridge, Massachusetts 1960
  • D. Massey: Space, Place and Gender. Cambridge 1994
  • Harold M. Proshansky, A. Fabian, R. Kaminoff: Place-Identity: Physical World Socialization of the Self. In: Journal of Environmental Psychology. Volume 3, 1983, pp. 57-83
  • E. Relph: Place and Placelessness. London 1976
  • J. Richardson: Place and Identity. The Performance of Home. London 2019
  • Kent C. Ryden: Mapping the Invisible Landscape. Folklore, Writing, and Sense of Place. Iowa City 1993
  • A. Sen, J. Johung: Landscapes of Mobility. Culture, Politics and Placemaking. Farnham 2013
  • M. Thomas: Making a Town: Urbanity, Rurality, and the Politics of Place in Ebersbach (Fils), 1945–1989. In: Journal of Urban History.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Harold M. Proshansky, A. Fabian, R. Kaminoff: Place Identity: Physical World Socialization of the Self. In: Journal of Environmental Psychology. Volume 3, 1983, pp. 57-83
  2. ^ E. Relph: Place and Placelessness. London 1976
  3. ^ J. Richardson: Place and Identity. The Performance of Home. London 2019
  4. ^ J. Richardson: Place and Identity. The Performance of Home. London 2019
  5. ^ D. Massey: Space, Place and Gender. Cambridge 1994
  6. ^ E. Castañeda: A Place to Call Home. Immigrant Exclusion and Urban Belonging in New York, Paris, and Barcelona. Stanford 2018
  7. ^ T. Blackshaw: Key Concepts in Community Studies. London 2010
  8. ^ B. Goodman: Native Place, City, and Nation. Regional Networks and Identities in Shanghai, 1853–1937. Berkeley 1995
  9. ^ T. Blackshaw: Key Concepts in Community Studies. London 2010
  10. ^ R. Jenkins: Social Identity. London 1996
  11. ^ S. Anholt: Competitive Identity. The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions. New York 2007
  12. ^ K. Lynch: The Image of the City. Cambridge, Massachusetts 1960
  13. ^ S. Anholt: Competitive Identity. The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions. New York 2007
  14. ↑ M. Thomas: Making a Town: Urbanity, Rurality, and the Politics of Place in Ebersbach (Fils), 1945–1989. In: Journal of Urban History.
  15. ↑ M. Thomas: Making a Town: Urbanity, Rurality, and the Politics of Place in Ebersbach (Fils), 1945–1989. In: Journal of Urban History.