In this text Doreen Massey discusses time space compression and creating a global sense of place. In order to understand her main arguments, a definition of the term time space compression is required first. Time space compression is a concept based on Karl Marx’s “Annihilation of space by time” and is the “driving force behind globalization” (Time-Space Compression). In the text, Massey explains that time space compression is the movement and communication across space, the geographical stretching-out of social relations and how we experience all of that. Money and time space make us interact with space. Time space compression does not happen for everyone and everyone experiences it differently because factors such as race and gender influence they way we perceive the world around us.

Mobility has a great effect on time-space compression. Mobility means power in relation to the flows of movement. Massey talks about how some people initiate flows of movement, some are more on the “receiving end of it” and some are imprisoned by it. There is a difference in degree of movement and communication but also a degree of control and initiation. Mobility and the control over mobility reflect and reinforce power positions. The mobility and the control of some groups can actively weaken other populations. Thus, relative mobility, the power over mobility and communication strengthen the spatial imprisonment of other groups.

Massey then proceeds to explain the sense of place. A place does not have a seamless, coherent identity and not everyone has the same sense of place. The connection between a place and the rest of the world varies on the perception of the person who is experiencing it. A place does not just have one homogenous community either, it consists of multiple communities, meaning it also has multiple identities. The multiple identities, though can be a source of richness but also a source of conflict. A sense of place differs based on the viewer’s perspective and experience, e.g. a woman’s experience is always going to be different than a man’s. I notice this specifically whenever I am in Egypt. It is considered to be unsafe for girls to do certain things, like take a taxi by themselves, whereas for men it is perfectly normal. As a woman I have way less freedom there, meaning my sense of place is completely different from my male friends’ one.

In order to create a progressive global sense of place, we must rethink the concept of place. The geography of social relations is changing, relations are more and more stretched out over space. A place is where social relations, movement & communication intersect; it’s a meeting place. They are areas of “articulated moments in networks of social relations and understanding in a larger scale”. This creates an extroverted sense of place, which is conscious of its connection to the rest of the world and combines the global and the local in a positive way. Massey also notes that the character of a place is not based on its history but rather about the constellation of social relations. The social relations of a place are constantly changing, meaning the place itself is constantly changing as well.
Places cannot and should not be defined by boundaries because this creates a sense of adversity towards the outside. Instead, a boundary should be seen as the connection to the outside to destroy the association between penetrability and vulnerability as well as abolishing the idea that newcomers are a threat.
A place does not have a single, essential identity. We also need to stop viewing places from an introverted point of view but rather from an extroverted one. Instead of focusing on the inside and outside, the “us versus them”, the boundaries of a place should be seen as the connection between a place and the rest of the world. A global sense of place, an understanding of the character of a place, can only be done by linking that place to other places. A progressive sense of place can recognize that without being threatened by it. We need a global sense of the local and a global sense of place.

I thought this text was very interesting because it changed my perception on how I view places. I think this is notably important for me because I study spatial design. We are trained to look at spaces and we like to analyze the characteristics of a place. The main argument of the text are that space is subjectively experienced and that space is divisive due to ownership claims.
This led me to the research question: How do you bring a sense of place of somewhere else to somewhere else? I am German-Egyptian, I lived in Germany for most of my life and now I’m studying in Holland. I am very in touch with the Egyptian culture due to my religion and because we spend the summers there. We also spent the past 4 Ramadans in Egypt so I strongly associate the atmosphere and lifestyle there with Ramadan. I want to capture the sense of place I have in Egypt during Ramadan and implement it here in Holland.
The ritual consists of little wooden fanoos lanterns that are meant to be written on every day during the month of Ramadan and then hung on some fairy lights. The fanoos is a traditional Ramadan decoration across North Africa and the Middle East. My family gave me my very first fanoos when I was younger so I not only associate it with Egypt but also with my parents who live in Germany. The idea is to reflect on my life every day and to set some time aside for my faith and writing it down. This will make me more aware of my faith, the essence of Ramadan and create that strong sense of place I feel while I’m in Egypt but here.

Works cited
“A Global Sense of Place.” Space, Place, and Gender, by Doreen B. Massey, University of Minnesota Press, 2009, pp. 146–156.
“Time–Space Compression.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Time%E2%80%93space_compression.

A Global Sense of Place