Reading Response: Michel de Certeau

This article illustrates and explains the difference between “spaces” and “places”, and further gives information about tours and maps. Moreover, by considering “boundaries”, gives a more precise definition of “narrate”.

 

A place is the order in accord with elements are distributed in relationship of coexistence, it seems like a “statical” concept, which implies an indication of stability. Inversely, space is composed of intersections of mobile elements, and it seems like a “dynamical” concept, it has thus none of the stability. Nevertheless, they are complements of each other, which means that these two concepts can constantly transform through a connection, and the connection is stories which also give meaning of the space and the place.

 

Similar relation between maps and tours. To answer the question in tutorial class, I reckon that “menu” and “restaurant” can represents such relation, customers sit in a restaurant, the food on menu was set out on tables, customers communicate with each other’s, and events take place in this restaurant.

Bai Yingxue

3035948251

1 thought on “Reading Response: Michel de Certeau

  1. Jen Lam says:

    Nice summary of the ideas of space and place. The menu does provide the names and identities of the dishes but I wonder how they delineate the boundaries of the food? The restaurant could be both a place with a certain identity, name, boundaries, and even rules. When users (customers, waiters, chefs) use it, they activate various spaces in the restaurant. The restaurant can both be a space and a place. It would be better if you could pinpoint something that has spatial information, as ‘menu’ might not necessarily assist your discussion on place/space.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Jen Lam Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.