Meanings of place: Everyday experience and theoretical conceptualizations

This paper suggests an analytical framework for the understanding of what m akes places meaningful. In an interview study, respondents were asked to li st places they considered important and describe what these places meant to them. The analysis of the interviews indicates that meanings spontaneously attributed to places by the respondents can be mapped around and between t he three poles of self, others and environment. In addition, a number of un derlying dimensions of meaning emerge: distinction, valuation, continuity a nd change. The relationship between these results and earlier empirical res earch is discussed. The paper also points out that, to a great extent, the empirical findings converge with theoretical conceptualizations of place wi thin social science. It therefore argues that the results of empirical stud ies need not be limited to 'special I,laces', but may also, using the sugge sted analytical framework, contribute to more general empirical and theoret ical discussions regarding the roles and meanings of place in contemporary society. (C) 2001 Academic Press.