Place as a Source of Identity in Colonizing Societies

Israeli Settlements in Gaza

Bibliographic Data

ID5116219
AuthorsIzhak Schnell (0000-0002-9987-9048), Shaul Mishal
Year2008
Volume98
Issue2
Pages242-259
Publication date2008-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7428 • E-ISSN: 1931-0846
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1931-0846.2008.tb00298.x
OpenAlexW2151029838
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited25

The tendency to reduce the role of places in the formation of sociospatial identities and to emphasize the impact of sociopolitical structures on place making is growing. We argue that, under certain conditions, places may become salient sources of identity formation. In addition, we suggest viewing different types of places on a continuum from mythical "big places," to everyday‐life places, to parochial "little places." We further suggest a distinction between mythical and everyday‐life senses of place. Following Zali Gurevitz, who describes the characteristics of West Bank Jewish settlers' mythical sense of place, we demonstrate how Gaza settlers only partially internalized their conception of place, adopting an everyday‐life conception of thereof. Yet place became a main source of identity for Gaza settlers, who viewed their experience in the settlements as an empowering process that helped them escape their marginality and join the national elite

Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Elite · Ethnology · Everyday life · Human settlement · Identity (music · Identity formation · Political science · Politics · Salient · Self-concept · Social science · Sociology · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · Gender Studies · History · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Law · Urban Planning and Governance