Place Chapter 3

This chapter focuses on some readings that give different points on the debates surrounding place. The readings seem to cover many different debates about place, so much so, that the connections between them were sort of lost on me. I see these debates on place as freestanding and chapter three as purely informative of these debates, and not so much how the readings by Harvey and Massey are connected. It’s interesting that Harvey seems to look at gated communities negatively, they may add boundaries, but some people are looking for that type of lifestyle and if that is what speaks to them then why shouldn’t they be able to live in their ivory tower. The example in the book of the murder may have not been carried out by someone from outside the community but that frequently does happen which is one reason why gated communities form. I also enjoyed Massey’s point that Globalization does not always just mean greater homogenization, but can show greater uneven development on a social level. As for the last part of the chapter regarding Stoke Newington, the excerpts and analysis seem to go back and forth over how the place is changing, has changed and peoples’ opinions on what it represents. All this says to me is that different people will have different memories of different places that will be triggered or changed or lost forever depending on growth and development of a certain place. I feel the very definitions of place are unique for each person, and will always differ depending on your viewpoint.