Defining Place

GEOG101 Response Paper 1 

“Introduction: Defining Place” by Tim Cresswell 

Alice Williams 

In Tim Cresswell’s book Place: An Introduction, chapter one, Introduction: Defining Place, Creswell explains the many ways the term “place” is used and can be defined. It is clear that “place” has many different meanings, depending on the circumstance in which it is used. “Place” according to Cresswell, is not singularly defined in one category, which he outlines by using examples of “place” in relation to physical location, mapping technology, ownership, political movements, and cultural references. Typically, “place” is thought to identify a physical location, such as landmark, neighborhood, or Restaurant, for example, but “place” can also be used in ways to describe ownership or belonging, such as living space or created space. Cresswell identifies “place” as “spaces which people have made meaningful … a meaningful location” (13), suggesting that “place” can be defined by any location which has meaning to an individual or group of people. 

The perception of “place” may also differ based on our beliefs and cultural practices. According to Cresswell, Native peoples had a notion of “place” in reference to the sea and how they navigated it and the meanings it held, where Colonial settlers did not observe sea as a “place” but looked to land space as meaningful and having potential for “place”. Cresswell also explains how physical “place” regarding gps mapping and navigation goes beyond showing us physical locations as companies are vying for ownership of this digital “place.” Cresswell suggests that these web-based companies can dictate the “places” people see and are directed to in relation to their physical location. Cresswell also notes struggles over “place” brought about by political events that had a significant historical meaning to people, such as the taking down of the Berlin wall (4). These “places” are significant and meaningful to people due to cultural beliefs, ways of life, and history. 

Our class lesson book, Contemporary Human Geography, by Roderick P. Neumann and Patritia L. Price, references the “diaspora cultures” in communities with large immigrant populations. These cultures have common practices and beliefs that bring a sense of community to living in a new or different area. Diaspora cultures, identified as a particular group and known based on their cultural origin, define “place” with created spaces, such as “Little Italy” or “China Town” (Neumann, Price 9). Creswell also references creating “place” with the Community Gardens that were developed by immigrants in New York, to “carve out a place from a little piece of Manhattan for their community to enjoy nature” (10).  In these gardens, the Puerto Rican community built casitas and hung their flags, which brought familiarity and a piece of their culture into their created space.  

In our class discussion we talked about the meaning of Geography as “earth writing.” Creating “place” such as the community gardens or a building a new home is a form of earth writing as people are changing the world around them and creating a “place” that holds value and meaning. We also discussed the meaning behind Williams Shakespeare’s quote from As You Like It. How Cresswell defines “place” relates to this quote as people on this stage (the world) are temporary, “places” would be temporary as well. They only remain defined as a “place” so long as they have personal meaning, and once our turn is over, those “places” can only be defined by those who follow. 

An example of “place” as defined by Cresswell would be the Great Wall of China. According to History.com’s “Great Wall of China”,  

“The Great Wall of China is made up of several walls and spans a distance of over 13,000 miles. It has historical meaning as it was built to protect the Chinese from  invaders, and its size alone is considered a feat in how it was constructed at the time. It is a symbol of Chinese civilization, has become a popular tourist destination and is also known as the only man-made structure visible from space” (History.com).  

The Great Wall of China defies the notion of “place” being a specific location as it covers such a vast area. It holds significant historical meaning and remains relevant today as a popular travel destination. These factors all contribute to The Great Wall of a China being defined as “place”, a meaningful location.  

 

 

 
Cresswell, Tim. Palace, an Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2015 

“Great Wall of China.” History.com.  History.com editors, 2010 (update 2019). Web. 19 Jan. 2021

 

Neumann, Roderick P., Price, Patricia L. Contemporary Human Geography, second edition. W.H. Freeman and Company. 2015