A SENSE OF PLACE

An important term in Geography, Philosophy, History, Social Psychology, and Nature Writing

 A sense of place

“Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth. He ought to give himself up to a particular landscape in his experience; to look at it from as many angles as he can, to wonder upon it, to dwell upon it. He ought to imagine that he touches it with his hands at every season and listens to the sounds that are made upon it. He ought to imagine the creatures there and all the faintest motions of the wind. He ought to recollect the glare of the moon and the colors of the dawn and dusk.”

--N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain

Basic elements in a sense of place

1.Single location: a focus on a specific, defined location.

2. Ecological distinctiveness : a recognition of the distinctive qualities of the natural world at that location. Usually a person with a sense of place has some significant knowledge of the natural world there.

3. Human meaning :

• A personal connection to the place, a sense of personal meaning based in lived-experience there.
• Can include shared, cultural meaning.
• Identification : I am part of this place.
• Usually developed over a period of time.
• “Storied”

 Place attachment

A sense of place also involves

Value: A sense of the personal and ecological value of the place

Bond: An affection for and personal identification with the place.

Loyalty : A determination to protect the place and often a desire to live there a long time.

Lack or loss of place

Not having a sense of place anywhere leads to:

Alienation : a sense (often unrecognized) of being cut off from nature

Deprivation: since a sense of connection is essential to a full human life, the person has an ‘emptiness,’ though this is often unrecognized.

Thus a sense of place involves an “ecosocial psychology.”

How do you develop a sense of place?

Getting to know the neighborhood : Learn the distinctive ecological and biogeographical facts about the place.

Spending time there : All the knowledge in the world can’t substitute for spending time in the place, over many seasons and years.

Read others talking about their sense of place to heighten your sensitivity to place.

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