Regional Typologies in Anthropogeography
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lentz
Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde
Leipzig
ESPON- “A European
Territorial Research Community”
1
13-14 October 2005, Luxembourg
General Assumptions
• Regionalisation is a variant of a common daily as well as a
scientific way of bringing order into reality;
framing
conditions
…
• Regions do not exist per se – they are made and they are
reproduced in and through societal interaction;
the
power
of
history
2
• Concepts of regions in Anthropogeography are closely
linked to the evolutionary paths of this discipline.
finding the spatial mosaic
framing
conditions
…
the
success
of
evolutionary
theory
3
naturalistic
and
individualistic
concepts of the
objects’
nature
Source: Maull (1956: 121)
creating the spatial mosaic
gathering
information
for
societal
needs
…
Making
territories
-
colonial
discovery
4
spatial
knowledge
is transformed
into
claim to power
structural and functional typologies
definitions and
intentional uses
creating
the
spatial
mosaic
…
5
Source: Weichhart (1995: 28;
translated)
research within regional units
framing
conditions
…
perceptional
and
reactive
concepts
of the
objects’
nature
Source:
6
Blotevogel (1984: 92)
research within regional units
Differentiating regional units
Dominance of quantitative methods
framing
conditions
…
critique
on
scientific
methods
Source:
Kilchenmann
7
(1968: att.)
functional typologies
definitions and different
intentional usages
creating
the
spatial
mosaic
…
empowering regions
as agents
i.e.: defining
planning regions
designing
administration
spatially
8
Source: Nationalatlas
(vol. 1/1999: 69)
functional typologies
definitions and different
intentional usages
creating
the
spatial
i.e. defining
analytical regions
mosaic
…
designing
administration
spatially
9
Source: Nationalatlas
(vol. 1/1999: 67)
functional typologies
definitions and different
intentional usages
creating
the
spatial
analytical and
structuring concept
mosaic
…
optimizing
allocation
10
Source: BBR (2005: 17)
Social theory and spatial longings
time –
space –
relations
Hägerstrand‘s
time-geography
as web model
…
Integrating
dimensions
of time
and
action-space;
11
Source: Held (1989: 193)
Agents in Regions – Regions as Agents
Level of Goals
Individual spatial aims
the
socio-political
dimension
…
communication
In a spatially related conflict agents develop selfrelated space-related aims, according to their
subjective perception, values and interests.
Level of Perception
Individual perception of space
about
spaces
Spatial structures predetermine human actions in a
conflict, however selectively distorted as agentspecific mental construction and/or images (mental
maps)
Level of Action/level of means
Model after
Reuber
(1999)
12
Individual strategic images of space
For the purpose subjective bias with the goal to
implement own spatial interests of utilization in a
space-related conflict.
goals of geographical recognition
ways of defining
change
from the
region
to the
ways of
producing
intentions behind usages
constructivism as
consequence
a region
…
ways of
production in
geography
13
the region as an epistemic object
thank you.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lentz
Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde
Leipzig
ESPON- “A European
Territorial Research Community”
14
13-14 October 2005, Luxembourg