Key Terms: Relationships & Connections (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note

Dynamics of change - key terms

Campaign groups – Organised collectives that influence change in place identity by protesting against redevelopment or gentrification.

Character of place – The distinct physical and human features that make a location unique, shaped by both past and present influences.

Demographic change – Alterations in the population structure of a place, often due to migration, regeneration, or cultural shifts.

Economic investment – Funding directed towards a place (e.g. by local councils or companies) to stimulate development, often altering services and employment.

Focus E15 – A campaign group that protested against social housing evictions and played a role in halting redevelopment in East London.

Gentrification – The process by which higher-income individuals move into lower-income areas, raising property values and potentially displacing existing residents.

Global institutions – Organisations that influence local places through economic and political systems at a global scale.

Globalisation – The growing influence of global culture, investment, and economic processes on local places and their identities.

Hackney Wick – An East London neighbourhood that has experienced regeneration and gentrification while maintaining some of its industrial heritage.

Historical connections – Events, industries, or cultural influences from the past that continue to shape a place’s character today.

Identity – The meaning and significance individuals or groups attach to a place, shaped by culture, experience, and perception.

Immigrant communities – Groups that bring new cultural influences to a place, often reshaping local identity through food, religion, or traditions.

Lived experience – The daily personal interactions people have with a place, influencing their emotional and social connection to it.

Local government – Councils or public bodies responsible for planning and managing change in a place, often through investment or policy.

National identity – A collective sense of belonging to a nation, which can influence or be influenced by global events and local politics.

Place identity – The characteristics and meaning associated with a place, shaped by physical, cultural, economic, and social influences.

Regeneration – The redevelopment of areas that have suffered decline, aiming to improve economic activity, housing, and infrastructure.

Rusholme ‘Curry Mile’ – A culturally diverse area in Manchester known for its South Asian restaurants and shops, symbolising multicultural identity.

Social construction of place – The idea that places gain meaning through human experiences, interactions, and interpretations rather than just physical features.

Stakeholders – Individuals, groups, or organisations (e.g. residents, councils, developers) with an interest in how a place develops or changes.

Timescale – The concept that change happens over different time periods; the identity of a place evolves as new influences emerge.

TNC (Transnational Corporation) – A business operating across multiple countries that can influence place identity through branding, employment, and redevelopment.