Unit 2 - Globalization: Distance, Transportation, and Spatial Interaction 38:180 Human Geography Spatial Interaction The friction of distance Underlies locational patterns (e.g. residential patterns, location of industry, location of TNC headquarters, etc.) A simplifying assumption the principle of least effort and the first law of geography 1
Globalization Is distance continually becoming less important? If so, is globalization the end of geography? Or does distance still matter? Is globalization a reworking of geography and scale? ie. the effects of friction of distance continually change Distance Geodesics and the different meanings of distance: 1) Physical distance: objective, spatial, measured 2) Time distance: related to space/physical distance, but not always perfectly correlated Isochrones Time distance can vary with time ->Time Space Compression 2
A non-straight line, shortest distance route. A switchback route 3
Distance 3) Economic Distance converting physical or time distance to cost Different price structures tapering stepped 4
Distance 4) Cognitive distance: perceptual, cannot be measured, but perhaps more important than 1,2,3? Mental maps 5) Social distance: group differences Proxemics ethnicity, race, religion, etc. Geographers use distance in different ways Logarithmic transformation of distances from Asby, Sweden. 5
The London underground system The classic topological map. 6
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Spatial Science: Modelling Interaction The Gravity Model: the effects of both size and distance I ij M k i M D b ij j where: I=volume of interaction M=population of place i,j D=distance between place i & j k & b are constants (determined empirically) 8
Spatial Science: Modelling Interaction The (Market) Potential Model: V i n j 1 M D j b ij where: V=(market) potential at place i M=population of places j D=distance between places i & j b is a constant (determined empirically) Diffusion, as Spatial Interaction Spread through space and time originally applied to innovations Three traditions: 1) Cultural Studies 2) Spatial Analysis 3) Political Economy 9
Diffusion 1) Cultural Studies: Mapping diffusion to identify hearths Innovativeness as a feature of certain cultures and/or places e.g. Silicon Valley? Diffusion 2) Spatial Analysis: Quantitative methods based Identifies empirical regularities 5 themes: Neighbourhood effect Hierarchical effect Relocation effect Resistance S-shaped curve 10
Neighbourhood Effect Dr. Snow s London cholera map, 1854 11
Diffusion 3) Political Economy: Mechanics of spread are affected by political and/or economic context (esp. power relations) e.g. income, education, gender Case: Adoption of agricultural innovations in Kenya (pre-empted adoption) 12
Ullman s 3 Principles of Spatial Interaction 1. Complementarity 2. Transferability 3. Intervening Opportunity 13
Ullman s 3 Principles of Spatial Interaction 1. Complementarity form utility place utility Ullman s 3 Principles of Spatial Interaction 2. Transferability ease of movement generally related to distance, but: 1. hierarchy 2. politics also related to cost principle of distance decay e.g. commuting patterns (and note effect of technological change). 14
Ullman s 3 Principles of Spatial Interaction 3. Intervening Opportunity e.g. migration e.g. market opportunities can affect where people go, or where people get things from 15
Alternatives for Information Flows 1. Information Genesis not supply and demand, just supply 2. Hierarchy of Control urban system as proxy 3. Distance Independence physical and time distance don t matter, BUT: cognitive or social distance? e.g. importance of face-to-face communication, (importance of lunch!) Transportation Geography Evolved with techniques in geography Transportation systems have evolved with major technological changes canals, railways, automobiles/trucks, air cultural bases? containerization 16
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Train Routes in Netherlands 18
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Rail Abandonment, Clarenville, NL 21
Transportation System Development A Four-Phase Model of Network Growth (Taaffe) 22
Transportation Route / Network Location 4 Principles for Locating a Route: 1. minimize cost not always shortest distance multi-modal transport, and route refraction 2. generate traffic meander, but there is a trade-off e.g. bus routes 3. cost-benefit analysis BUT, how are costs (and benefits) measured? 4. political factors 23
route refraction 24
route options Trade Related to transportation cost, so friction of distance should be a major factor International trade subject to humancreated barriers (costs of crossing borders) Basic underlying factors - spatial variations: Resources Technology (labour and capital) Culture and Distance 25
Trade Basic Theories of Trade Classical Neo-Classical Modern Trade and Regional Specialization 26
Trade And the Real World? Labour and capital mobility Transnational corporations Foreign direct investment Comparative advantage not determined a priori So geographic relationships (spatial interaction) are very dynamic, and not (economically) deterministic Trade Trade is good Globalization is (partly) about the contemporary, long-term process of freeing trade, or integrating our economies Levels of Integration: (Independence no integration) Free Trade Area Customs Union Common Market Economic Union Economic Integration (or Political Union) 27
Globalization More than just trade: production and distribution are no longer contained by national boundaries Represented by TNCs Creating an International Division of Labour With rapid, unregulated international movement of capital (e.g. FDI) 3 dominant trade blocs: EU, NA, SE Asia 28