Studying continuity and change in the nature of places

A-level geography places an emphasis on the study of local places and changing places. Particularly people's lived experience of a local place in the past and present. How may this be done?

A place’s character and people’s lived experiences of it are shaped by both endogenous factors (such as physical geography, built environment, infrastructure, demographic and economic characteristics) and exogenous factors (such as its relationship with other places as represented by shifting flows of people, goods, resources, capital and ideas). The agents of change (external forces) such as government, the local council, businesses and communities must also be considered as they have a central role in the shaping of place identity and representation.

Researching the historical background of a place is a straightforward way to draw contrasts between the past and the present and to enable students to assess the degree of change, the rate of change and the key geographical agents of change and compare these between the two places:

• Changing demographic and cultural characteristics of both place OR
• Economic change and social inequalities in both places

For qualitative data, start with a search on Vision of Britain and the British Film Institute’s (BFI) archives of historical maps, photographs, travel writings, newspaper entries, census returns and films. These will give an engaging introduction to past connections. The findings can be contrasted to contemporary representations of the place on television, film, literature, social media, art and music.

Contemporary quantitative data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics can be collected from Neighbourhood Statistics and local council websites (where they are often termed ‘snapshot’ statistics). Other sources of data include the Index of Multiple Deprivation, NHS health profiles, crime mappers by the Police and several geospatial data websites such as Check my File. There are lots of interactive websites which use GIS to geo-locate census data.

As a guide, the following themes could be researched:

• Migration flows and communities in the local area – historical or contemporary, including commuting patterns
• Infrastructure – roads, railways, canals, proximity to airports
• Business and commerce – industrial/business parks, multinational companies located there, local businesses
• Leisure, tourism, retail – ‘clone town’ or unique place
• Arts, heritage, festivals, events, music, culture –are these only promoted locally or externally?
• Conservation – protected green spaces, Green Belt areas, listed buildings
• Town twinning and other international connections
• Promotion and representation in various media. Direct and in-direct marketing of the place and the images and messages being conveyed (and omitted).
• Education – universities, research parks, further education colleges, specialist training facilities – sources of funding and staff/students

Of course, a rich source of data is primary collection in the field. This could take the form of ‘psychogeography’ (the effect of the physical landscape on the emotions, perceptions and behaviour of individuals) or of more traditional methods such as place check forms, clone town surveys (the land users common to many high streets that lead to a similar offering of retail and services) and pedestrian flows. Some suggestions for psychogeographical fieldwork:

• Dérive maps (untargeted wandering according to attraction/repulsion of certain city areas and mapping the resultant route)
• Soundscapes
• Photographing different people’s experiences of place
• Participant observation – who is using the place and how?
• Place profiling using an analytical narrative
• Imageability survey – what makes a place unique?
• Map of meaning – annotating a base map with feelings and emotions
• ‘Invisible’ places survey – map and photograph the places you’re not meant to see (CCTV, public toilets, alleyways, graffiti)