The percentage of wealthy achievers visiting the National Parks (31%) is higher than any other ACORN classification provided. Only 4% of the adults asked with urban prosperity visit the national park which perhaps suggests they don’t visit the rural countryside and is possible they may be excluded from these locations.
In the category ‘children in household’ it shows 28% of adults asked that have children, just 26% visit the National Parks. This is a small percentage compared to those visiting that don’t have children (74%) suggesting that adults with no children are more likely to visit the National Parks.
In conclusion it is possible to say that the majority of the National Parks visitors appear to be white, wealthy, middle-aged and able bodied adults with no children within the household and that have ownership of a car.
Word count - 498
Part Two
What does the following article tell us about the relationship between place and identity?
Identity is who and what a person is, it can describe such things as where a person is from and their ethnicity, what sort of occupation a person may have and a person’s status within society. Throughout this essay the relationship between identity and place will be discussed alongside the information in the article provided.
The title of the article, ‘Access for all’ indicates that the Peak District National Park should be open to all identities. However there are a number of identities that appear to have been excluded and disconnected from such activities. The excluded have become the marked identities. An example of this can be seen when mentioning that, “Many people in Sheffield don’t realise a third of the city is in the national park” (Ward, 2007, cited in The Open University, 2011, p. 25). With these people not associating the city with the National Park a sense of alienation is produced in relation to the urban and the rural community. The urban areas of the area close to the park appear to be detached as they are unable to see what goes on there. To feel included and be a part of the environment it may be important to see and identify a place in order to feel whether an identity can be placed with such environments.
Bajaria displays an example of discourse in the way that he describes his role, suggesting he understands that he is of ethnic minority and the views of wider society towards him and his appointment make him of marked identity. As he speaks of himself he is performing his identity. Bajaria is presenting positive information about the Peak District and of his associations with it firsthand. This could be an example of impression management as he is describing his own identity and also what he is there to do. Goffman’s 1959 theory, “suggested that in every situation of ordinary life people behave in ways which will tell others who they are, what they’re doing and what they expect and want to happen” (Hinchliffe, 2009, p. 172). Bajaria mentions he does not want to be seen as a “Token figurehead” instead it appears he wants the Park to be known as “there for everyone to enjoy” (Ward, 2007, cited in The Open University, 2011, p. 25) and not to be a barrier between identities.
Bajaria talks of bringing friends from the south and saying to them, “look at that” (Ward, 2007, cited in The Open University, 2011, p. 24). His excitement for this place seems greatly important and the environment can be of equal importance to others. The identities from the South of the country may be just as unaware of what the Peak District has to offer as ethnic minority groups. It is possible that the industrial north may not be associated with rural areas creating a detachment from the National Park through the, “ability not to see” (Hinchliffe, 2009, p. 220). Perhaps this then creates an imagined community where identities are seen to be labelled as marked and unmarked.
The language used within the article creates positive imagery towards the Peak District conveying a certain image. This is done through words such as, “glorious peak views” (Ward, 2007, cited in The Open University, 2011, p. 24) this might create a sense of wanting to belong and having an identity that is accepted here. Cultural references are made towards the National Parks such as Haddon Hall, “where the latest BBC television series of Jane Eyre was filmed” (Ward, 2007, cited in The Open University, 2011, p. 24). Some people may be able to relate to this reference and therefore identities may feel it acceptable to visit these places through social and situated identity.
Some ethnic minority groups share ideas (discourses) about such places that aren’t necessarily true, but due to lack of knowledge and other social processes they feel alienated from such areas. Some ethnic minority identities may not feel overly associated or necessarily a part of these rural areas as it may not part of their heritage or previous culture.
As an Indian chairman of the authority, Bajaria’s main challenge is to get more ethnic and other local people who may feel that the Peak District is ‘not for the likes of them’ giving negative thoughts towards their identity. This is reflected in the extremely low visiting numbers of ethnic minority groups that do visit. Some groups of people feel detached from such areas and feel that their identities are not only producing negative thoughts but that their identities are negatively valued by others. This division of people and production of negatively valued racial and ethnic identities are established through the social process of Othering.
An example of negatively valued identities can be seen in ‘Street People’ the work of Jonathan Raban, where people used negative words to describe other people’s identities within the environment. Marked identities such as, ”long-term mental patients discharged from hospitals...crack addicts, thieves, alcoholics, hobos, the temporarily jobless, the alimony defaulters, rent-hike victims’ (Hinchliffe, 2009, p. 175) were used. Identities of difference such as these can create negative responses creating relationships of equal negativity when in coherence with place.
Identities can derive from situation and place but identity position can change. Personal identity is who you are. Anthony Giddens and other sociologists suggest, “that each of us needs a personal identity and in contemporary society we have to make it for ourselves” (Hinchliffe, 2009, p. 187). Sometimes traditions and customs are lost and places can change meaning situated identity will always altar. As Jovan Byford describes, “identity as a lifelong product of making and changing” and needing to, “change and transform in situations throughout life” (Studying Identities, 2009, track 1).
In conclusion to the points taken from the article it could be said that our identities can depend on the relationship with the space and environment we are in. Through social constraint and opinion on factors such as culture and ethnicity, identities can be viewed differently depending where they are and with this produce both negative and positive attitudes. Identities can be included and excluded from a place with these attitudes by either creating belonging identities or an identity that becomes detached.
Word count - 1036
References
Open University, (2011), DD131 Introducing the Social Sciences – Part One Assignment Booklet 2001E, Milton Keynes, The Open University
The Open University (2010) DD131 introduction to the social sciences part 1, 'Access for all' in The Assignment Booklet, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Hinchliffe, S. (2009) ‘Connecting people and places’ in Taylor, S., Hinchliffe, S., Clarke, J. And Bromley, S. (eds) Making Social Lives, Milton Keynes, The Open University
‘Studying identities’ (2009) Making Social Lives [Audio CD2], Milton Keynes, The Open University
Self Reflection
I found some of the course material content quite interesting however I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about this TMA, I found the student notes confusing and found it difficult to understand what was being asked of me. I deliberated substituting the whole TMA but thought I would give it a go anyway (not overly confident I have hit the mark).
