It is clearly necessary to introduce some of the difficulties of defining rural and

Transcription

1 UNIT 2 CHANGING HUMAN ENVIRONMENTS G2 Theme 2 Investigating Settlement Change in MEDCs 2.1 What are the distinctive features of settlements? It is clearly necessary to introduce some of the difficulties of defining rural and urban areas, although at this level it is not expected that students would be able to discuss these in great depth. An awareness of the main criteria used to distinguish rural and urban settlements such as population size, number of functions, extent of built up area and sphere of influence would be expected. Linked to the above, candidates need to understand the concept of a settlement hierarchy/continuum that ranges from isolated farms through hamlets, villages, towns and cities up to the scale of the megalopolis, using settlements in the local area and known examples by way of illustration. Candidates need to be aware of the distinctiveness of places and that culture, personal background and socioeconomic level influence a person s perception of the geography of their local area (see G3 Research Theme 4). 2.2 How does the social and cultural structure of settlement vary and why? Cities contain a wide variety of people of different groups, often distinguished by their socio-economic status, age and ethnicity. A detailed study of one carefully chosen urban area should concentrate on a description of its social geography with specific reference to ghettos and student districts or indeed other social areas such as gated communities, celebrity enclaves and gentrified areas.

2 GCE AS and A GEOGRAPHY Teachers' Guide 16 A number of alternative reasons should be offered to explain these differences such as human issues encompassing intra-urban migration, filtering, increasing mobility, increasing disposable incomes and local and central government planning decisions together with physical factors such as height of the land, proximity to water and prevailing wind direction. Candidates need to define and understand the reasons for the processes of counter urbanisation and re-urbanisation with reference to examples. Reasons for counter urbanisation include technological developments and the improvements in transport infrastructure, the negative perception of the urban nightmare contrasted with the positive perception of the rural idyll (see 2.6) and the increasing attractiveness of rural areas for businesses. Candidates might be able to assess the validity of some of these perceptions (see G3 Research Theme 4). Reasons for re- urbanisation include local and central government planning decisions together with environmental, social and economic concerns associated with urban sprawl (see 2.5). 2.3 What are the issues of the inner-city? Inner-city redevelopment should be examined in terms of both the motivations for (including deindustrialisation, dereliction, wasteland, social exclusion and global economic changes) and consequences of inner-city redevelopment schemes. Candidates need to have detailed knowledge and understanding of at least one case study to illustrate the economic, social and environmental impacts of a regeneration scheme. The impacts need to be evaluated in both positive and

3 negative terms. Although local examples would be appropriate, brief reference to other cities and towns would be valuable in setting the context and for providing a fuller range of reasons and impacts. 2.4 What are the issues being faced in the CBD? Candidates should be aware of many of the issues facing CBDs, specifically the problems of congestion reducing accessibility, concern over the development of clone towns, the development of pedestrianised areas, office districts and the growth of entertainment districts and contrasts between these areas by day and by night (see G3 Research Themes 1, 4 and 5). Candidates need to have detailed knowledge and understanding of at least one case study to illustrate these issues. Not all cities face all of these issues. Candidates will require an understanding of the need to overcome the problems of a deteriorating physical environment, an outdated transport infrastructure and the attractions and alternatives offered by out-of town retailing and Internet retailing (see G3 Research Themes 2 and 8). Knowledge of a regeneration programme implemented by central and/or local government authorities, often in partnership with the private sector, which is transforming a CBD could be used by way of illustration (see G3 Research Themes 1 and 2). 2.5 How is the rural-urban fringe changing and why? Candidates need to define the term rural-urban fringe and understand the problems

4 which stem from the competing land-uses within this zone and the constant pressure for new development from recreation, retailing, business, housing and transport infrastructure, even in areas that have green belt status or other forms of protection. GCE AS and A GEOGRAPHY Teachers' Guide 17 Candidates need to be aware that the rural-urban fringe varies in character from place to place according to the main influences acting upon it, but be able to evaluate the impact of recent changes on both the local environment as well as wider economic issues (e.g. in the CBD 2.4), social issues (social exclusion 2.2 and 2.3) and environmental impacts such as traffic problems, gravel extraction and sports grounds. 2.6 How are rural settlements changing and why? Candidates should be aware of the perception of the chocolate box village and the image of the idyllic way of life in the British countryside as portrayed by the media and the reality, which is often very different (see G3 Research Theme 4). Links can be made with 2.2 and reasons for counter urbanisation. Candidates need to understand the varied nature of rural settlements, ranging from extreme or remote rural to extreme non-rural or accessible rural, using exemplar support. They need to be aware of the changing economic and social situations in extreme rural areas which, in contrast to counter urbanised settlements, are becoming more peripheral, experiencing isolation and abandonment and the growth of second home ownership. Candidates need to understand that smaller numbers of people working locally and particularly in agriculture, together with the growth of non-resident second-home

5 owners, have meant that there are smaller populations to support village shops and services, leading to problems with retail and service provision. Candidates need to appreciate that the social profile of rural settlements is changing with the growth of new social groups including wealthy second-home owners (who make little contribution to rural society) retirees, the rural poor and the recent new agricultural immigrants. Candidates need to understand that many social impacts experienced in rural areas are the result of political decisions, economic change and the evolution of a postproductivist countryside. The structural changes that have taken place in agriculture have led to declining numbers of people employed in agriculture and the difficulties a large number of farmers are experiencing in making a living. GCE AS and A GEOGRAPHY Teachers' Guide 18