Exploring Space-Time Compression and Place

The provided assignment focuses on exploring the concept of space-time compression and its relation to place, as discussed by geographer Doreen Massey. It highlights how individuals can forge connections across different levels, leading to the formation of regional identities, cultures, and other collective senses of place. The assignment draws from various sources, including books, journals, and online resources, to provide a comprehensive understanding of this concept.

GLOBAL CITIES, MEDIA AND
COMMUNICATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Changing character of places to any local neighbourhood or area in London............................1
Geography of power to any local neighbourhood or area in London.........................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Doreen Massey was the famous British social scientist and geographer. She has worked
on cultural geography, Marxist geography etc. many subjects (Massey, 1995). Doreen Massey's
work has strong political engagement which focuses on geographical and theoretical
interventions. Globalisation tells the classic story of modernity. Current study will discuss
arguments of D. Massey about changing character of places and the geography of power to any
local neighbourhood or area in London.
MAIN BODY
Changing character of places to any local neighbourhood or area in London
Geographical condition of each place is different from others. Massey the geographer has
given her opinion that about concept of global sense. Place are made and remade in globalization
era. Over the period of time there have been significant changes in the geographical locations.
Social, economic and demographical characteristic of each places are different from other places.
Changing places can not be seen as scalar opposites but it can be seen as interconnected spheres
which shape each others. Argument of Massey reflects that places are shaped through internal
and external linkages. These linkages support in binding local places to global area.
There are two main themes which distinguish places from the spaces. Socio economic
and demographical characteristic, relationship and connection, Second theme is cultural meaning
and representations that are attached to the places. As per the argument of Massey Kilburn High
Road in London which is shaped by political, economic and cultural connections. In this place
there are many communities live such as Irish, Asian heritage etc. Brixton is the place in London
which is known for African Caribbean community. Massey has given her argument about
changing identities. It has been argued that if beginning of the person is in other place and
individual go out and interact with other cultural people, in such condition there are chances of
dispute. But identities can be forgot through relations. She has argued that if person belongs from
specific geographical location or has specific conceptualisation then practices and interrelations
are showing in their identities. If the individual make space through making connection with all
level then region, culture and other identities can be forged in relational way (Massey, 2007).
In the world city, Massey has observed that London is the place which has global sense
of place. It concentrates more on wealth and effective utilization of resources. It is the place
which is associated with local and global polarizations (Chapin and Knapp, 2015). London is
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shaping the globalization sand is contributing well in increasing economic conditions. Space and
power is different in each country and area. Space is considered as product of relation. It is the
complex relation, way of communication from intimate level of daily lives.
Each place provides different employment opportunities and migration facilities to the
population. External forces such as changes in government policies restructure the global
economic conditions. These forces impact on demographic, socio-economic and cultural
characteristic of any place. Place is related with the geographical area and regional characteristic
of each place is different from others. Cultural aspects of each location is different, it is made
intelligible, it concrete through social organisations. For instance English countryside
concentrates more on relaxation and beauty of society members. On other hand London is the
place where group is attached with values and taking different positions and having different
views.
Massey has given more importance to the place and area. She has argued that any place
does not hold a single identity, it has multiple identities (Newman and et.al, 2017). She has
argued that place are not frozen , they are processes and also it is not enclosures with clear inside
or outside. Massey has taken example of Kilburn High Road in North west London in order to
exemplify the terms' progressive or global sense of place. She has said that space is very
important thing for the person in which individual lives. It is very difficult for the person to make
connection with other place people because of different culture, identity etc. Space can not be
defined as flat surface on which everybody walk daily. She stated that if the person stop at
particular place then there may be a house with a story (Cumbers and et.al, 2017). D. Massey has
argued that time space can be defined as movement and communication with other place. She
has said that money sand time space are the main elements which increase internationalization.
She has argued that different social groups have different power in relation to flow and
movements (Massey and Clifford, 2016). Someone like to take initiatives whereas other like to
follow others. Geography location, origin and the cultural aspect on an individual shows specific
identity and character of the person. There are hug differences in respect to communication and
movement in different social group people. Thus, time space compression is very complicated
and varied in different geographical locations (Virilio, Haber and Massey, 2014).
Political implications of space of place impact on mobility and controlling. She has
argued that power of some mobility can be weaker as compare to other. Massey has argued that
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travelling between two places is referred as move between collections of trajectories. In this
manner individual has to reinsert in the ones from which the person relate. Each person has their
own language, it belongs to the area from the person belong. Language effects in moulding
identities and it defines social relationships as well (Kitchin, 2016).
Massey has argued that each place has its own characteristic. One behave like leader and
others have to behave like followers. All persons can be leaders and all can not be followers.
Each place has its own features (Cook, 2016). There are many places where people act like a
leader. They lead others by providing them monitory and non monitory supports. Whereas other
persons have to follow the instructions of others. One of the great example is given by Massey
there are different kinds of complexity. There are many people who live in Rio, they know that
global football is like the back of their hand. It produces many musical players as well those who
contributed well to global music. They have produced such musical themes such as Lambada,
Samba on which many people dance (Doreen Massey, 2009). They are contributing in time
space compression.
Geography of power to any local neighbourhood or area in London
Time Space compression is the term which is related with movement and communication
across the space. It implies that geographical conditions are stretching out the social
relationships. Geography of power can be explained with controlling element, Jet setters who
send and receive faxes. Individual distributes films can control over news. USA is the country
where refugees from EL Salvador and undocumented migrant workers from Michoacan
participate in geographical power but they do not have power to take charge.
She has argued that capital plays significant role in production of space. She has said that
if space is unfinished then situation may be differed. Places are significant and they can be
reworked through globalization process rather than annihilated by it. She has argued that space
time compression asserts that entire globe is speeding up and spreading out (A Global Sense of
Place – by Doreen Massey, 1994). With the advance technological support entire world is getting
connected with each others. Now people are able to make connection with other places people
across the world. Use of smartphones, internet has made it easy for the population to develop
relationship with other places people. But still there are few people those who are not included
in space time compression because of race, age, education, socio economic status. Massey has
said that there many women those who are living in third world country such as Sudan or Chad.
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In such places education or literacy rate is very low (A Global Sense of Place, 2015). These
women are not able to take part in space time compression because in such places girls are not
having economic position in society and gender inequality do not allow them to take
participation in space time compression. If the women has economic position then also she
would not be able to use these technologies because of their low education. This is the condition
due to which individual becomes fail to take part in space time compression (Meegan, 2017).
Place is provided by politics which is linked with others and create multiplicity. Power
geometry is related with the power of different social groups and individuals. These people are
placed in distinct ways and have different flows and interconnections. The person those who
have strong power to flow can lead the society. Different social groups have unique relationship
with others. Some people get charge on other hand some have to follow instructions only. People
those who are engaged in both moving and communicating are in position of control to it the jet
setters.
Massey has argued that space time compression is the new phenomenon in the modern
era. For example in the 16th and 17th century Filipino people were forced to change their religion
and they were forced to adopt Catholicism culture. Religious aspects of both countries were
different from each others. It was identified that Filipino people are much more religious.
Initially people were forced to change their culture but later on it became the integral part of
culture (A Global Sense of Place – by Doreen Massey, 1994). This cultural mixing was the
result of space time compression. Cultural mixing has become the essential part of globalism
societies.
Doreen Massey is introduced the concept of power geometry. That helps the people in
accessing to events within that process. It is considered as social hierarchy that hold
disproportionate power of taking decision in order to drive flow and movement of time space
compression (Doreen Massey, 2009). There are many places where social and political groups
take charge and take initiative of movements. Massey has given the example of jet-setters who
belongs from international community and travel around the countries in order to attend social
activities. There are many multinational companies those which have different ways of
communication and circulating information with other countries. Thus, each place has its own
identity and population who live in such place adopt such way of communication in order to
coordinate with other place people (Massey and Clifford, 2016).
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Power itself has geography which is known as cartography of power. Power geometry
concept has been introduced by the Massey. In this she has argued that power is also known as
implicitly. Different social formation instances having their own power geometries. In the
United kingdom discern power geometries in politics is possible. Power geometries is present at
all spatial levels. If unequal geographies of power is present then it causes economic inequality
(Cumbers and et.al, 2017). It can be defined as product of neo-liberal globalization. Massey has
argued that space is imbued with power and also every place or power has its own spatiality.
Massey has given the concept of geography of power. , she has defined that power
geometry brings power relations. It is not the fact that all power is in the hand of global cities.
But all global nations pay more attention on power relationships (Massey, 2007). Economic
weight are influenced by cultural and political factors. In order to increaser power of the place,
most of the cities make financial connection with big countries such as relationship between city
of London and global south. Political tasks is forcing global cities to build political relations
with each others. Power is not an external relation between pre- constituted entities. On contrary
power is the part of something which is constitutes by entities themselves. Devine, (2007) has
argued that in the 21st century socialism is the only power relationship between other global
cities.
Highly social differentiation impact on the power system and characters of different
places. These different places have unique movement and communication sources. Apart from
this highly social places have high degree of control and initiative approaches. Mobility and
control of some groups over others may weaken others. Time space compression can be
undermine with power of the leading people (Massey, 1995).
Doreen Massey was the lady who has given many innovative researches about the place
and its geographical implications. She argued that the development of the place is the factor
which shows the power of the place. It was argued by her that every place has some identity
which is on the basis of its history or some specific reason. She also said that place can be
influenced by the various external factors which are global. Relation which are maintained by the
place in the past are the factors which shows about the identity of the place. Power which
controls the place have the significant effect on the character and behaviour of its people
(Massey, 1995). She had used term which is power geometries which describes about the effect
of power on the identity of the place. It is said that global forces are responsible for the action in
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the local place. But it is otherwise. It means local action are responsible for the global forces.
Political power has the great impact and relationship with its place. She gave this argument on
the basis of her personal experience (A Global Sense of Place – by Doreen Massey, 1994). Even
the smallest thing has some flow in it.
Place that power which can not be removed or snatched. The people living in some area
of the London will always have some impact on the people even if they leave the place. Views of
the persons will always show that they belong to which place. Nor having any connection with
the place in the present condition will also not change their views. The views of the persons will
always be based upon the place where they lived and which has the power on their perceptions.
Politics of the place is defined upon the various factors which can be regarded as the identity or
any kind of difference between the place. Some specific identity of the place is very much
needed which will decide its power on the views of people (A Global Sense of Place, 2015). The
place having the great power will have an impact on the perceptions and views of the people
even if they lose their connection from the place (Chapin and Knapp, 2015).
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that people of different places have unique
character and geography of power. It depends upon the origin, culture and surrounding on the
bases of this, individual react as follower or leaders. Political power is related with the
geographical power and many other factors. These all factors influences the identity of place in
whole of the world. Changing character of place will not affect much on the views of people at
the area of London, because identity of the place is depended upon the history and past which
has very great impact on the perceptions of persons. It is not possible that every one behave like
leader, that depended upon space time compression. It can be articulated that if individual make
space through making connection with all level then region, culture and other identities can be
forged in relational way.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chapin, F. S. and Knapp, C. N., 2015. Sense of place: A process for identifying and negotiating
potentially contested visions of sustainability. Environmental Science & Policy. 53. pp.38-
46.
Cook, I. J., 2016. Plus géographiques numériques, s' il vous plaît| More digital geographies,
please.
Cumbers, A. and et.al., 2017. The work of community gardens: reclaiming place for community
in the city. Work, employment and society. pp.0950017017695042.
DEVINE, P., 2007. «The political economy of twenty-first century socialism». Soundings: a
journal of politics and culture. 37. pp. 105-115.
Kitchin, R., 2016. Geographers matter! Doreen Massey (1944–2016).
Massey, D. and Clifford, J., 2016. Living on the border: the silesian history of places and things
aleksandra kunce. Representing and (De) Constructing Borderlands. pp.49.
Massey, D., 1993. ‘Power-geometry and a progressive sense of place’ in J. Bird et. al.
(Eds), Mapping the Futures: Local cultures, global change, London and NY: Routledge.
Massey, D., 2007. World City, Cambridge: Polity.
Massey, D.,1995. ‘The conceptualization of place’ in D. Massey and P. Jess (Eds), A
place in the world, UK: Open UP & Oxford UP. Pp 45-85.
Meegan, R., 2017. Doreen Massey (1944–2016): a geographer who really mattered.
Newman, G. and et.al., 2017. Leveraging the power of place in citizen science for effective
conservation decision making.Biological Conservation. 208. pp.55-64.
Pp 59-69.
Virilio, P., Haber, H. F. and Massey, D., 2014. 7 Rethinking Teletechnologies, Place, and
Community. Teletechnologies, Place, and Community. pp.180.
Online
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A Global Sense of Place – by Doreen Massey, 1994. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.unc.edu/courses/2006spring/geog/021/001/massey.pdf>
A Global Sense of Place, 2015. [Online]. Avaialble through
<https://thinkurbanism.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/a-global-sense-of-place-by-doreen-
massey-1991/>
Doreen Massey, 2009. Concepts of space and power in theory and in political practice. [PDF].
Available through <https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/dag/02121573n55/02121573n55p15.pdf>
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