Who's Jackson? Construction of sense of place in the era of globalisation : a case study

How are people in a global society reconstructing their sense of place? This key question is addressed in this thesis. Australian society has emerged from the period of industrialisation and entered the period of globalisation, a modern to a postmodern world. Sense of place is a vital source of both individual and cultural identity and security, a point of departure from which we orient ourselves in the world. The use of a place, its terrain (landscape), connectedness to that place and its inherent meaning are identified here as the 4 key elements in the construction of a sense of place. The case study approach adopted in this thesis examines a former industrial site in Pyrmont currently being redeveloped as a waterfront residential community, known as Jacksons Landing. The site is reviewed at the moment in time it transcends the industrial era and enters the global era. The mixture of research methods examining the transition includes observation; key informant interviews; structured interviews; and document analysis. The study document the shift of the site from 'space' to 'place' through personal presence and association. It catches a glimpse of how individual experience of place is formed from a unique moment in space-time, which is interlinked with memories, emotions and identity. The findings indicate that communities of the future, in the era of globalisation, will be markedly different to those of the industrial era. Results suggest lifestyle and economic factors will shape future communities, which have the potential to be gated and homogenous, representing a microcosm of segmentation and secularisation. Security, income and occupation will be increasingly valued, forming the basis of identity and the shaping of place