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Complexity Theory as a Link between Space and Place

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  • Juval Portugali

    (ESLab (Environmental Simulation Lab), Department of Geography and the Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel)

Abstract

Since the early 1970s, the notions of space and place have been located on the two sides of a barricade that divides what has been described as science's two great cultures. Space is located among the ‘hard’ sciences as a central term in the attempt of geography to transform the discipline from a descriptive into a quantitative, analytic, and thus scientific, enterprise. Place, on the other hand, is located among the ‘soft’ humanities and social philosophy oriented social sciences as an important notion in the post-1970 attempt to transform geography from a positivistic into a humanistic, structuralist, hermeneutic, critical science. More recently, the place-oriented geographies have adopted postmodern, poststructuralist, and deconstruction approaches, while the quantitative spatial geographies have been strongly influenced by theories of self-organization and complexity. In this paper I first point to, and then explore, structural similarities between complexity theories and theories oriented toward social philosophy. I then elaborate the thesis that, in consequence, complexity theories have the potential to bridge the geographies of space and place and, by implication, the two cultures of science. Finally, discuss in some detail conceptual and methodological implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Juval Portugali, 2006. "Complexity Theory as a Link between Space and Place," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(4), pages 647-664, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:4:p:647-664
    DOI: 10.1068/a37260
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Salvati & Margherita Carlucci, 2020. "Shaping Dimensions of Urban Complexity: The Role of Economic Structure and Socio-Demographic Local Contexts," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 263-285, January.
    2. Sean Markey & Sarah-Patricia Breen & Kelly Vodden & Jen Daniels, 2015. "Evidence of Place: Becoming a Region in Rural Canada," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 874-891, September.
    3. An, Li, 2012. "Modeling human decisions in coupled human and natural systems: Review of agent-based models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 25-36.
    4. Rob Roggema, 2014. "Towards Enhanced Resilience in City Design: A Proposition," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-22, June.
    5. Rob Roggema, 2023. "The Eco-Cathedric City: Rethinking the Human–Nature Relation in Urbanism," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, July.
    6. Kim, Jisun & Kim, Dong Ha & Lee, Jihyun & Cheon, Youngseo & Yoo, Seunghyun, 2022. "A scoping review of qualitative geographic information systems in studies addressing health issues," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    7. Hidde van Oostroom, 2012. "Urban Heat Island adaptation through Urban Planning and Design: the struggle of the city of Los Angeles," NEURUS papers neurusp149, NEURUS - Network of European and US Regional and Urban Studies.
    8. Boeing, Geoff, 2017. "Methods and Measures for Analyzing Complex Street Networks and Urban Form," SocArXiv 93h82, Center for Open Science.
    9. Bart Rijken & Edwin Buitelaar & Lianne van Duinen, 2020. "Exploring the feasibility of future housing development within existing cities," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 47(2), pages 336-351, February.
    10. Pier Luigi Sacco & Alessandro Crociata, 2013. "A Conceptual Regulatory Framework for the Design and Evaluation of Complex, Participative Cultural Planning Strategies," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 1688-1706, September.
    11. Rob Roggema, 2017. "The Future of Sustainable Urbanism: Society-Based, Complexity-Led, and Landscape-Driven," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-20, August.
    12. Ward Rauws & Gert De Roo, 2016. "Adaptive planning: Generating conditions for urban adaptability. Lessons from Dutch organic development strategies," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 43(6), pages 1052-1074, November.
    13. Noronha Vaz, E. de & Nainggolan, D. & Nijkamp, P. & Painho, M., 2011. "A complex spatial systems analysis of tourism and urban sprawl in the Algarve," Serie Research Memoranda 0003, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    14. Mingxing Chen & Hua Zhang & Weidong Liu & Wenzhong Zhang, 2014. "The Global Pattern of Urbanization and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Last Three Decades," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, August.

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