Topophilia
Encyclopedia
Topophilia is described in Webster
's New International Dictionary
of the English Language
as literally "love of place". It is a term used to describe the strong sense of place or identity
among certain peoples.
It combines the Greek word topos (topo- or top-), meaning place, with the ending -philia, meaning love of/for.
It is generally believed that it was coined by Chinese-American geographer Yi-Fu Tuan
in his 1974 book entitled Topophilia: a study of environmental perception, attitudes, and values. Tuan claims that topophilia "can be defined widely so as to include all emotional connections between physical environment and human beings."
But W. H. Auden
used the term already in his 1948 introduction to John Betjeman
's poetry title Slick but Not Streamlined. Perhaps more germanely, it appeared in French philosopher Gaston Bachelard
's The Poetics of Space
, published in French in 1958.
Alan Watts
' autobiography, In my own way, first published in 1972, starts with the sentence "Topophilia is a word invented by the British poet John Betjemen for a special love for peculiar places." Rene J. Dubos in his 1972 book A God Within indirectly refers to topophilia in his chapter "The Peristence of Place". He said that the "spirit of place" in classical Roman times was called the genius loci
as the protective or guardian deity of a certain place. Today this is reflected when humans "search for distinctiveness in their surroundings...because it is rooted in [our] nature." Lastly, Dubos argues that the persistence of place is "an expression of a spirit so powerful" that it can convert a resident population to "identify with a place...adopt a type of clothing, ways of life, and turns of phrases." James W. Gibson, in his 2009 book "A Reenchanted World" also argues that topophilia or "love of place" is a biologically based, close cultural connection to place. Gibson says that such connections mostly have been destroyed in modernity but argues that "more and more people are trying to reinvent them."
Sports geographer John Bale has noted the opportunities sport stadia have for topophilia, citing five metaphors that make stadiums particularly topophilic:
Webster's Dictionary
Webster's Dictionary refers to the line of dictionaries first developed by Noah Webster in the early 19th century, and also to numerous unrelated dictionaries that added Webster's name just to share his prestige. The term is a genericized trademark in the U.S.A...
's New International Dictionary
Dictionary
A dictionary is a collection of words in one or more specific languages, often listed alphabetically, with usage information, definitions, etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, and other information; or a book of words in one language with their equivalents in another, also known as a lexicon...
of the English Language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as literally "love of place". It is a term used to describe the strong sense of place or identity
Cultural identity
Cultural identity is the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics....
among certain peoples.
It combines the Greek word topos (topo- or top-), meaning place, with the ending -philia, meaning love of/for.
It is generally believed that it was coined by Chinese-American geographer Yi-Fu Tuan
Yi-Fu Tuan
Yi-Fu Tuan is a Chinese-U.S. geographer.Tuan was born in 1930 in Tientsin, China. He was the son of a rich oligarch and was part of the top class in the Republic of China....
in his 1974 book entitled Topophilia: a study of environmental perception, attitudes, and values. Tuan claims that topophilia "can be defined widely so as to include all emotional connections between physical environment and human beings."
But W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
used the term already in his 1948 introduction to John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
's poetry title Slick but Not Streamlined. Perhaps more germanely, it appeared in French philosopher Gaston Bachelard
Gaston Bachelard
Gaston Bachelard was a French philosopher. He made contributions in the fields of poetics and the philosophy of science. To the latter he introduced the concepts of epistemological obstacle and epistemological break...
's The Poetics of Space
The Poetics of Space
The Poetics of Space is a book by Gaston Bachelard published in 1958. Bachelard applies the method of phenomenology to architecture basing his analysis not on purported origins but on lived experience of architecture. He is thus led to consider spatial types such as the attic, the cellar, drawers...
, published in French in 1958.
Alan Watts
Alan Watts
Alan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. Born in Chislehurst, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York...
' autobiography, In my own way, first published in 1972, starts with the sentence "Topophilia is a word invented by the British poet John Betjemen for a special love for peculiar places." Rene J. Dubos in his 1972 book A God Within indirectly refers to topophilia in his chapter "The Peristence of Place". He said that the "spirit of place" in classical Roman times was called the genius loci
Genius loci
In classical Roman religion a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding a Cornucopia, patera and/or a snake. There are many Roman altars found in Western Europe dedicated in whole or in part to the particular Genius Loci...
as the protective or guardian deity of a certain place. Today this is reflected when humans "search for distinctiveness in their surroundings...because it is rooted in [our] nature." Lastly, Dubos argues that the persistence of place is "an expression of a spirit so powerful" that it can convert a resident population to "identify with a place...adopt a type of clothing, ways of life, and turns of phrases." James W. Gibson, in his 2009 book "A Reenchanted World" also argues that topophilia or "love of place" is a biologically based, close cultural connection to place. Gibson says that such connections mostly have been destroyed in modernity but argues that "more and more people are trying to reinvent them."
Sports geographer John Bale has noted the opportunities sport stadia have for topophilia, citing five metaphors that make stadiums particularly topophilic:
- They are 'sacred spaces' for their followers, particularly if euphoric or tragic incidents have taken place within them, such as the Hillsborough disasterHillsborough disasterThe Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
. - They often have 'scenic' qualities, such as the view of the Gateway ArchGateway ArchThe Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
at Busch StadiumBusch StadiumBusch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
in St. Louis, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. - As a 'home' to the team and the fans, it can have psychological advantages to both.
- The stadium might be a 'tourist' attraction to visitors, a must-see venue. Some stadiums, such as the Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket GroundThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
have fee-charging tours when matches are not even occurring. - Deep local pride may be tied up with particular stadiums.
External links
- Ogunseitan, Oladele A. "Topophilia and the Quality of Life", Environmental Health Perspectives 113(2), February 2005.