Key Terms: Meaning & Representation (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note

Management and manipulation of place - key terms

Art-led rebranding – A strategy using galleries, public art, and creative industries to reshape a place’s identity, as seen in Margate with the Turner Contemporary Gallery.

Culture-led rebranding – Using cultural events or attractions (e.g. museums, festivals) to regenerate an area and change its reputation.

External agencies – Groups such as governments, councils, TNCs, and community organisations that influence how a place is developed and perceived.

Free trade zones – Areas with reduced trade restrictions introduced as part of rebranding strategies to attract investment and encourage globalisation.

Gentrification – A process where redevelopment attracts higher-income residents, often raising property prices and displacing existing communities.

Globalisation – Can be a by-product of rebranding, as increased investment and trade influence the character and demographics of a place.

Media campaigns – Used by external agencies to change public perception of a place, often emphasising positive stories or new developments.

Olympic regeneration – Stratford was redeveloped for the 2012 London Olympics, changing its infrastructure, image, and cultural significance.

Policy choices – Strategic decisions made by authorities to select and guide regeneration or rebranding efforts in particular locations.

Rebranding – A process of changing the identity and perception of a place through alterations to the built environment and public image.

Regeneration – Physical and economic renewal of an area, often involving new housing, transport, and public services.

Reimaging – The attempt to alter negative perceptions of a place by associating it with new ideas, such as creativity or opportunity.

Social exclusion – A criticism of some regeneration schemes where new developments marginalise existing residents or communities.

Spatial exclusion – The physical or symbolic exclusion of groups from certain redeveloped or rebranded areas due to cost or design.

Sport-led regeneration – Using large-scale sporting events and venues to stimulate investment and place transformation, such as in Stratford.

Tourist materials – Brochures, websites, and campaigns used to shape how a place is represented to visitors.

Turner Contemporary – A major art gallery that played a central role in rebranding Margate as a cultural destination.

Analysing different representations - key terms

Cartographic data – Maps used to show spatial patterns; considered semi-objective but still shaped by the choices of the mapmaker.

Census data – Quantitative demographic information collected regularly, showing trends in population, housing, and employment.

Comparability – A strength of quantitative data; it allows for comparison across time and between different locations.

Credibility – When evaluating sources, considering the reliability, accuracy, and purpose of the representation.

Data layers – In mapping, various types of information (e.g. population, land use) that can be compared spatially.

Demographic data – Statistical data about population characteristics, such as age, ethnicity, or income.

Geospatial data – Data that relates to specific locations; useful for identifying spatial trends but can hide variation at local levels.

Population pyramids – Visual representations of age and gender structures, useful for understanding population characteristics.

Qualitative data – Subjective representations such as images, music, or stories that convey deeper emotional or cultural meanings.

Quantitative data – Objective, statistical representations such as crime rates or economic indicators.

Representation – The ways in which a place is described, shown, or portrayed, which may influence perception and identity.

Source limitations – Recognising what is left out of a representation, such as parts of an image or aspects of identity not captured.

Timescales – Comparing representations over time helps show how perceptions and characteristics of a place have changed.