Unravelling the geographical palimpsest through fieldwork: discovering a sense of place

Marvell, A and Simm, D (2016) 'Unravelling the geographical palimpsest through fieldwork: discovering a sense of place.' Geography, 101 (3). pp. 125-136. ISSN 0016-7487

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Abstract

Fieldwork enables students to gain a greater understanding of the people and places that they encounter. Urban areas are popular destinations for fieldwork because they present a landscape that is in a continual state of change. Yet, as this article indicates, the past is ever present in the urban landscape as each place can be regarded as a palimpsest, where layers of history, geography, culture and politics co-exist. Through active participation in fieldwork, students have the potential to unravel this palimpsest and discover a deeper sense of that place. The example used here reflects upon urban fieldwork in Barcelona as experienced by a group of undergraduate students who, as they carry out and reflect upon their field work, benefit from gaining a sense of place informed by a range of geographical processes and meanings. The article concludes with a series of suggestions for those embarking on fieldwork and wishing to unravel the geographical palimpsest.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
L Education > L Education (General)
Divisions: School of Sciences
Date Deposited: 04 Oct 2016 15:21
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2021 09:43
URI / Page ID: https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/8296
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