Having the Swedish northern village Vittangi as its field, this thesis asks what it is that makes Vittangi feel like home to its inhabitants and, further, how the sense of home motivate its inhabitants to participate in its place-making, i.e., in making it their home. Home is, in the thesis, understood as a subjective experience of rootedness. The ethnographic chapters therefore investigate, by focusing on the experience of everyday life in the village, how the sense of home is expressed through the inhabitants’ activities and movements in, to and through the village. Considering that the thesis’ focus is both on the sense of home and the making of home, its over-all aim is to examine the relationship between being and making home. Moreover, great attention is given to the values existing in the village, referring both to values created by global processes of economics, politics, and social activity, as well as values that are based in the experience of everyday life. In the end, the thesis argues that it is the experience-based values of Vittangi which makes it home to its inhabitants, and that it is these values which motivates inhabitants to partake in its place-making. Further, it is argued that the experience-based values cannot be separated from global processes of economics and politics, but that it is through the form they take in the locality which makes them valuable.

This study revolves around cultural heritage as a resource for tourism and within a placemaking. The chosen purpose is to study how an individual municipality relates to its specific cultural heritage and to investigate how cultural heritage can be used as a tourism resource and within a place-making. Hässleholm municipality is the subject of the study and the cultural heritage is the history about the guerrilla fighters and outlaws called snapphanar. The questions at issue are: How is the history of snapphanarna in Hässleholm municipality valued as a cultural heritage and as a tourism resource? How can Hässleholm municipality use its cultural heritage as a tourism resource and in a place-making? The theoretical understanding is mainly based on Jonas Grundberg's material on cultural heritage tourism and Lotta Braunerhielm's study on cultural heritage in place-making. A case study has been conducted using semi-structured interviews, unstructured interviews and observations. Interviews have been conducted with the responsible destination developer from the municipality, the castle manager at Hovdala Slott, the responsible at “Tourism in Skåne”, and ten locals. The results show that there is a discrepancy in how local residents value the cultural heritage of snapphanar versus how municipal responsible value them. Among other things, locals want the Snapphane heritage to bring more to life in the municipality and be used in tourism, something that is now not present. Furthermore, it is clear that the municipality does not see Hovdala Castle for all its values. The study provides tools for how Hässleholm municipality can use the cultural heritage of the history about Snappahanarna, together with Hovdala Slott, to create a more locally based tourism and as a way for a place making. / Denna studie kretsar kring kulturarv som en resurs för turism och inom ett platsskapande. Det valda syftet är att studera hur en enskild kommun förhåller sig till sitt specifika kulturarv samt att undersöka hur kulturarvet kan användas som en turismresurs och inom ett platsskapande. Hässleholms kommun är föremålet för studien och kulturarvet är snapphanehistorien. Frågeställningarna är: Hur värderas snapphanehistorien i Hässleholms kommun som ett kulturarv och som en turismresurs? Hur kan Hässleholms kommun använda sitt kulturarv som en turismresurs och inom ett platsskapande? Den teoretiska förståelsen utgår främst från Jonas Grundbergs material om kulturarvsturism och Lotta Braunerhielms studie om kulturarv inom platsskapande. En fallstudie har utförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer, ostrukturerade intervjuer samt observationer. Intervjuer har gjorts med ansvarig destinationsutvecklare från kommunen, slottschefen på Hovdala Slott, ansvarig på Tourism in Skåne samt tio lokalinvånare. Resultaten visar att det finns en diskrepans i hur kommuninvånarna värderar kulturarvet snapphanar kontra kommunansvariga. Lokalinvånarna vill bland annat att snapphanearvet ska levandegöras mer i kommunen och användas inom turism, något som nu inte är gällande. Vidare framgår att kommunen inte ser Hovdala Slott för alla dess värden. Studien ger verktyg till hur Hässleholms kommun kan använda sig av kulturarvet snapphanehistorien tillsammans med Hovdala Slott för att skapa en mer lokalt förankrad turism och som en väg för ett nytt platsskapande.

This study combines long-term settlement data with short-term excavation data to explore the conditions that led late prehistoric communities in Iberia’s southwest to aggregate during the Late Bronze Age [LBA]. This long-term approach involves the application of geographic information systems [GIS] to identify settlement patterns in the Central Alentejo from the Late Neolithic [LN]/Chalcolithic to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 3500 – 800 BCE). In the Serra d’Ossa microregion of the southwest there are 176 sites that date to the Neolithic/Chalcolithic, only two that date to the EBA/MBA, and 27 that date to the LBA. This shift is directly related to the Chalcolithic “collapse” that occurred in the mid/late third millennium BCE, influenced by both sociocultural and environmental factors. The LBA of the southwest has long been defined by the emergence of a new culture associated with a concern for defensiveness and warriorship, represented on stone stelae by warrior iconography, and by the emergence of large-fortified upland sites that appear during this period. A distinct lack of small-scale settlement data has previously led to insufficient interpretations and characterizations of the period. In turn, this thesis incorporates short-term data from excavation at the large-fortified upland site of Castelo Velho da Serra d’Ossa, the one excavated example of such a site in the Serra d’Ossa microregion and one of the few excavated LBA sites in the wider southwest. The short-term excavation data are discussed in the context of the long-term settlement patterns to better characterize the LBA of the Iberian southwest, a period previously underrepresented in the region. The central focus of study is to investigate the emergence of these settlements (up to 15 ha in size) and the communities that inhabited them; considering the processes underpinning place-making and aggregation both locally and within its broader prehistoric context. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

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Our thesis investigates how local tourism stakeholders frame and actively produce rural places in times of renewable energy transitions. Rural places serve as a stage for both the transition to renewable energy and rural tourism. Wind turbines, in particular, are a source of debate due to their visual impact and noise. Local tourism stakeholders are concerned that the development of renewable energy infrastructure, especially wind turbines, may have a negative impact on their tourism activities and, consequently, their revenue. In our qualitative study, we conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with 21 local tourism stakeholders. The Swedish rural island of Öland served as a case study area for our research. Furthermore, we gathered data by visiting and observing some of the participants’ businesses. Our findings were analyzed through the lens of relational place-making and place framing. Through reconstructing the narratives of local tourism stakeholders, we identified a strong connection to their rural place. Moreover, there was a generally positive attitude towards renewable energy infrastructure development among local tourism stakeholders. They prioritize the environmental benefits of renewable energy infrastructure over aesthetic considerations and thus, do not fear a tourism revenue drop. Furthermore, our findings revealed that the local tourism stakeholders are not primarily focused on renewable energy infrastructure development, but rather on the general sustainable tourism development of the island. The future visions of local tourism stakeholders involve creative ideas about wind turbines in tourist attractions. Taken together, our evidence shows that rural tourism and renewable energy transitions can interact in rural places.

Biblioteksgatan-Birger Jarlsgatan-Stureplan, known for its luxurious high density of luxury stores and historical architecture, is an extreme case in the built environment in a Swedish context. This thesis examines how private property developers shape the urban landscape and change dynamics within Stockholm's luxurious shopping district and its surroundings. Luxury brands create attractive urban environments that draw elite businesses and individuals, driving economic growth and urban regeneration. The study explores the role of urban partnerships and identity creation in contemporary city development, emphasising the collaboration between private property developers and public authorities in addressing urban challenges. By clustering luxury retail in prime locations, developers enhance the area's attractive perception, attract affluent residents and tourists, and contribute to the city's competitiveness. The thesis adopts a political-economic perspective, integrating theories from David Harvey, Michael Porter, and Richard Florida to understand the influence of private property developers on urban development. It employs a case study approach, using semi-structured interviews and existing literature to provide comprehensive insights into the strategies and impacts of private property developers in Stockholm. Luxury research is largely missing in a North European context, and this thesis aims to contribute to the research gap.

Science and technology have a tendency to clump together in places where they spawn other forms of societal activities. Sometimes these places become famous through processes known as place-making, or the social construction of place. Because the scientific and technological activities affect the places, and the places conversely affect the science and technology, it is relevant to study how and why these connections emerge. This dissertation examines the particular case of the northern Swedish town of Kiruna, which has become known for being a `space town' because of its scientific, technological, and other activities that relate to the near space around the earth. The overall objective is to analyse the processes underlying the making of Kiruna as a space town in the period 1943--2000. Five parts make up the study. First is an examination of how the development of space physics research in Kiruna led to the setting up of a scientific observatory. The second part studies how the Swedish participation in the European Space Research Organisationmade Kiruna the place for a rocket base. Next follows an analysis of how local business efforts contributed to forming a new satellite technology business and the Space House office building. The fourth part concerns how the visions to establish a space `university' eventually led to the emergence of the Space Campus. Last is an epilogue that briefly analyses the space tourism efforts in Kiruna. A central finding is that the space town has emerged as the result of entwined processes where, on the one hand, ideas about the near space around the earth have led to new activities and physical structures, and, on the other hand, these new activities and built structures conversely have inspired to new ideas. Of importance is also the geographical place where these developments have occurred. Here, a reoccurring argument to placing the activities and structures in Kiruna was the town's geographically favourable location for specific scientific and technological activities. Another finding is that the development has gradually led to the emergence of a kind of identity or notion of Kiruna as a particular place for space activities. Although this form of place-making has occurred largely through spontaneous processes, it was also the result of intentional efforts. Together, these different place-making processes have formed the `space town' of Kiruna.

The present thesis examines the themes of ‘shared history,' ‘place-making,' and ‘reconciliation' to assess how these come together in the establishment of an Aboriginal identity in Perth, Western Australia. Focusing on individuals who do not represent the common stereotypes associated with Aboriginal Australians, it will be demonstrated that these individuals are forced into an in-between place where they have to continually negotiate what Aboriginality means in the twenty-first century. Taking on this responsibility they become mediators, stressing a ‘shared history' in order to create a place for themselves in the non-Aboriginal landscape and to advance reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia by fighting the dominant discourse from within. Beginning with the State and Government's Native Title appeal premiss that Nyungar never existed, this thesis will examine this claim by first presenting an account of the history of southwest Western Australia to establish the place Aboriginal people have been forced into by the colonists during early settlement, and the processes of which extend into the present day. From there on in the focus will be on individual Aboriginal people and their careers and businesses, examining how they attempt to redefine what is perceived and accepted as Aboriginality through different interaction and mediation ‘tactics' with non-Aboriginal Australians. Finally, this thesis will take a closer look at the reconciliation movement in Australia and the people involved in it. It will determine different approaches to reconciliation and assess their possibility and meaning for the construction of a twenty-first century Aboriginal identity. The thesis will conclude that although Nyungar are forced into the dominant discourse, their resistance from within credits a new kind of Aboriginality that is just as valid as the ‘traditional' and ‘authentic' Aboriginality imagined by non-Aboriginal Australia.

Jerusalem is the declared capital of Israel, fundamental to Jewish tradition, and a contested city, part of the Israel–Palestine conflict. Departing from an analysis of mainly interviews and policy documents, this study aims to analyze the interplay between the Israeli identity politics of Jerusalem and city planning. The role of the city is related to discursive struggles between traditional, new, and post-Zionism. One conclusion is that the Israeli claim to the city is firmly anchored in a master commemorative narrative stating that Jerusalem is the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel. A second conclusion is that there is a constant interplay between Israeli identity politics, city policy, and planning practice, through specific strategies of territoriality. The goals of the strategies are to create a political, historical and religious, ethnic, economic, and exclusive capital. Planning policies are mainly focused on uniting the city through housing projects in East Jerusalem, rehabilitating historic heritage, ancestry, and landscapes, city center renewal, demographic balance, and economic growth, mainly through tourism and industrial development. An analysis of coping strategies shows that Jerusalem planners relate to identity politics by adopting a self-image of being professional, and by blaming the planning system for opening up to ideational impact. Depending on the issue, a planner adopts a reactive role as a bureaucrat or an expert, or an active role, such mobilizer or an advocate. One conclusion drawn from the “Safdie Plan” process is that traditional Zionism and the dominant collective planning doctrine are being challenged. An alliance of environmental movements, politicians from left and right, and citizens, mobilized a campaign against the plan that was intended to develop the western outskirts of Jerusalem. The rejection of the plan challenged the established political leadership, it opened up for an expansion to the east, and strengthened Green Zionism, but the result is also a challenge to the housing needs of Jerusalem. / Författaren tillhör även "Forskarskolan Urbana och Regionala Studier – Städer och regioner i förändring"

Many urban poor are living lifestyles prescient of a future with little to no accessible fossil fuels, a future lacking easy access to electricity, flowing water, and food security. Scientists such as David Holmgren warn that the rest of society may face a similar scenario. According to the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO 2008), the peak of oil discovery happened in the 1960’s. In 1981 the world started using more than what was found in new fields and since then the gap between discovery and production has been ever widening, many countries have already passed their peak, which indicates that a global peak is imminent. This dissertation investigates a new typology for urban living. An area south of Marabastad, in the north-western quadrant of the city of Pretoria is selected as the wasted landscape for testing the hypothesis that a drosscape has the potential to be designed and developed into an agrarian conservancy to support a society in need of sustainable, innovative places. Part One of the dissertation investigates agriculture as a method for returning the site to some utilitarian efficiency. However, landscapes contain the potential to be more than functional tracts of land with no meaning. Thus Part Two of the dissertation investigates the fact that a creative approach to the implementation of city farming in the Steenovenspruit drosscape can ingrain in the modern industrial city a place with which the inhabitants can identify, where form does not only follow function but also enhances and expresses the celebration of man’s working relationship with the land, as well as celebrating the historic traces evident on the landscape. A palimpsest emerges out of the faint residue of past uses, displaying traces of the character the site once had. The dissertation proposes that by capturing the essence of these past layers of productive use and further enriching the palimpsest by introducing traces of farming and gardens, meaning and experiential use of the land will be returned to the people of Marabastad. The dissertation also proposes that through this experiential use the community is once again able to leave traces on the landscape and lift the site out of limbo and once again into the process of place-making, or refounding. A conservancy is proposed for the Steenovenspruit drosscape which combines the concept of palimpsest and the poetic nature of farming across a number of city blocks, connecting Marabastad and the CBD. The conservancy encapsulates a variety of land uses including residential and gathering traces, however the core of the conservancy centres around a historical city block which formed part of the old Pretoria townlands and which morphs once again into productive landscape. / Dissertation ML(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Architecture / ML(Prof) / Unrestricted