When Space becomes Place- Fresher to Fossil

Image: http://www.cathcollegesjcu.edu.au/student_community/fisher_shield_inter_college_co.php

Power is something that has always existed in human society. “’It is a relational effect of social interaction” (Allen, 2003).

The network that I have elected to analyse is one that I am engaged in on a daily basis- which is the on campus college. As school leavers move away from home, the idea and space which is ‘college’ is associated with greater freedoms and adulthood. As discussed in the tutorials this week and in the Tuan reading, space is conceptual until it is given meaning by symbols (Tuan, 1977). However, not everyone living on college may see it is a “place” but as more of a “space”.  This can be said of ‘Freshers’- those that have just started Uni; in comparison to Fossils who may have lived on college for a few years now. By the end of the year, what began as undifferentiated space- may become a ‘place’ for Freshers, as they have begun to see it as a second home and thus placing value on it (Tuan, 1977).

Sociologist Stanley Milgram, said that there were six degrees of separation from one entity to another, whether it be human, transport, or various ecological networks. Studies of network theory help in understanding different real-life and virtual social networks (Buchanan, 2002). The college network consists of all residents, plus the executive team and college administration. The executive team consists of the President, Secretary and Reps (Sports, Socials, Spirit). The main aim of this smaller network within the larger college network is to assist in the social and academic life of the members. This network of people have strong links to the wider community.

Nicholas Christakis in his TED Talks The Hidden Influence of Social Networks or How Social Networks Predict Epidemics give an overview of networks, and how ideologies and power are passed through them.

Reference list:

Allen, J. (2003) Lost geographies of power. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.

Buchanan, M. (2002). Nexus: Small worlds and the groundbreaking science of networks. New York, NY: W.W Norton & Company, Inc.

Christakis, N. (2010) The hidden influence of social networks. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_christakis_the_hidden_influence_of_social_networks

Christakis, N. (2010) Social networks predict epidemics. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_christakis_how_social_networks_predict_epidemics

Tuan, Y.F. (1977) Space and Place: The perspective of experience. London, UK: Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd.