Regionalisation
From Geography
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== Regionalization | == Regionalization | ||
| - | Regionalization is understood as an academic practice of spatial delimitation of natural, social, economical, cultural or political spheres of reality. In an action-centered perspective it is understood as everyday practice, not for delimitating the ‘world’ spatially, but for using special references for the economical, political and cultural structuring of social realities. A [[region|Region]] is the outcome of these delimitations of space. Regions are not a pre-given fact, it is that what humans make of it. And they are helpful for human beings to make sense of the world around them. This notion is developed by [[ | + | Regionalization is understood as an academic practice of spatial delimitation of natural, social, economical, cultural or political spheres of reality. In an action-centered perspective it is understood as everyday practice, not for delimitating the ‘world’ spatially, but for using special references for the economical, political and cultural structuring of social realities. A [[region|Region]] is the outcome of these delimitations of space. Regions are not a pre-given fact, it is that what humans make of it. And they are helpful for human beings to make sense of the world around them. This notion is developed by [[Anthony Giddens]] in his theory of structuration. |
Revision as of 08:40, 5 October 2011
== Regionalization
Regionalization is understood as an academic practice of spatial delimitation of natural, social, economical, cultural or political spheres of reality. In an action-centered perspective it is understood as everyday practice, not for delimitating the ‘world’ spatially, but for using special references for the economical, political and cultural structuring of social realities. A Region is the outcome of these delimitations of space. Regions are not a pre-given fact, it is that what humans make of it. And they are helpful for human beings to make sense of the world around them. This notion is developed by Anthony Giddens in his theory of structuration.
Regionalization can be differentiated according to type, length of time and character. The form of regionalization refers to the type of borders that define the region. These borders can be indicated by physical or symbolic markers. For example a wall is a physical border between two rooms. This has social implications, to stay with the room example: you do not sleep in the kitchen but on the other side of the border (wall) in the bedroom. The time component refers to the span of time a region exists. If a region has a bigger span of time (and also of space) an higher degree of institionalization is necessary for social maintenance. The character of regionalization refers to the modes in which the time-space organization of locales is structured within a social system (Werlen, 2009). A mode is an overarching spatial organizing principle which organizes a social system. The organization principle can be for example a functional division between workplaces and living spaces.
References
- Aitken, S. and Valentine, G. Approaches to Human Geography. 2009.
- Werlen, B. (2009). Structurationist Geography. Elsevier.
Contributors
- Published by Thijs Koolhof (4048385)
- Enhanced and links added by --SusanVerbeij 08:40, 5 October 2011 (UTC)
