The study of place under humanistic geography focus: a place called Paulista Avenue

Author(s)

Leandro Forgiarini de Gonçalves

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2011-02-01

Examining board members

Adyr Apparecida Balastreri Rodrigues; Livia de Oliveira; Julio Cesar Suzuki

• Advisor: Adyr Apparecida Balastreri Rodrigues

Abstract

Place is one of the most important spatial categories of Geography. As well as the conception of space, the conception of place fits the scope of different geographic analyses; however, the category of place is strongly related to Human Geography. The Human Geographic focus puts place in a prominent situation, by dealing with the affective relationship between man and space and the plurality of experiences which transform this space into place. From this perspective, it can be understood that place is essentially a sentimental realisation and that the personal, intimate experiences are what gives place its density. Thus, human geographer Yi-Fu Tuan adopts the neologism \"topophilia\" in order to better characterize the human love for places. For men, topophiliac ties bring up a set of deep feelings: these are memories, nostalgia, affinity and values which stand as reminders of the past, of achievements of the present, and/or of future actions. For Geography, topophilia is a breath of Humanism that is supported by the conception of symbolic, relational and affective space, having time as an intrinsic category. Human Geography recognizes that mens places are as diverse as their dreams. Moreover, human beings do not cease to dream of places which give consistency and meaning to their personal existence. These places fall into vastness or intimacy, because like men, places preserve both immensity and particularity within. Just as the street and the neighborhood are cozy and personal spaces, a city or a country are also able to carry such feelings.Incidentally, the city properly consists the place of dreams axiom, seeing as it offers many possibilities for personal fulfillment. Urban places are spaces of intense involvement, trigger of aspirations, achievements, love and hate. In this scenario, the Paulista Avenue, one of the symbolic places of the city of São Paulo, emerges as an example of how a place can be sentimental. Whether it is because of its importance to the history of this metropolis, or because of its relationship to the life of the paulistanos nowadays, Paulista Avenue represents the dream of an ideal place. Paulista Avenue is a place called by the same name that gives the people from the state of São Paulo a sense of unity. However, not only is it for the fact that they are homonyms that it can be said that Paulista is the paulista, but also because both convey a quite similar level of humanity. Therefore, the place, the most human of geographic categories, reflects all the diversity of actions taken by man in space. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to say that places are people, because the latter are each place that they realize throughout life. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/08873-5 - The study of place under humanistic geography focus: a place called Paulista Avenue
• Grantee: Leandro Forgiarini de Gonçalves
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master