The Power of Place : Existential crises and Place Security in the Context of Pregnancy
(2006) In Meddelande från Lunds universitets geografiska institution. Avhandlingar- Abstract
- The study explores the importance of place attachment on individuals? sense of security during existential crises. Coping strategies of pregnant women are analysed, focusing on how the prospect of giving birth affects their relationship to place. Anthony Giddens? concept of ontological security is critically examined and used to investigate the connection between place and ontological security ? what I call place security- through a set of empirical data drawn from in-depth interviews with pregnant women.
Two studies were carried out, one in Sweden and the other in northern Norway. A qualitative analysis was made of the interview material, using the three basic elements of ontological security self-identity, continuity... (More) - The study explores the importance of place attachment on individuals? sense of security during existential crises. Coping strategies of pregnant women are analysed, focusing on how the prospect of giving birth affects their relationship to place. Anthony Giddens? concept of ontological security is critically examined and used to investigate the connection between place and ontological security ? what I call place security- through a set of empirical data drawn from in-depth interviews with pregnant women.
Two studies were carried out, one in Sweden and the other in northern Norway. A qualitative analysis was made of the interview material, using the three basic elements of ontological security self-identity, continuity and ritualisation as a grid of analysis. Prior psychological research indicates that the prospect of giving birth and raising a family brings the issue of ontological security to the surface. The data confirms such findings, demonstrating the particular importance of place. During pregnancy, the women came to consider issues of identity related to their own childhood experience. A sense of security connected to place was essential for their well-being in this vulnerable period of transition, and was consciously sought to alleviate anxiety.
Both women who had previously lived very mobile lives and those who had been more sedentary exhibit need for place security. One of the typical coping strategies displayed was to return to childhood places. In other cases, the women tried to achieve place security for their children by recreating an environment similar to the place their own sense of identity was rooted in. Social institutions, such as schools, day-care facilities and jobs, largely determine where a sense of security can be achieved from a practical point of view. Deeper ontological security, however, relates to the individual's life history, and to places that represent continuity, daily routines and the constitution of identity for that individual. The material environment during childhood forms the primary basis for feelings of ontological security in adult life. The women also often relate to specific landscapes through sensory memory. The study does not support the social/nature dichotomisation of reality, but instead emphasizes the significance of childhood experiences of the material environment with respect to the women's experience of security during pregnancy. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract
Avhandlingen undersöker relationen mellan individer och platser relaterat till livskriser och existentiell trygghet. Författaren analyserar olika copingstrategier hos gravida kvinnor och hur detta förändrar deras relation till olika platser i deras livshistoria. Anthony Giddens begrepp ontologisk trygghet granskas kritiskt i förhållande till existentiell välmående och används sedan för att undersöka förhållandet mellan individerna och den materiella verkligheten. Detta utmynnar sedan i ett begrepp ? platstrygghet ? som analyseras i empiriska studier genom djupintervjuer. Avhandlingens empiriska material består av en studie från ett urbant område i i södra Sverige samt en studie från ett ruralt område i norra... (More) - Popular Abstract
Avhandlingen undersöker relationen mellan individer och platser relaterat till livskriser och existentiell trygghet. Författaren analyserar olika copingstrategier hos gravida kvinnor och hur detta förändrar deras relation till olika platser i deras livshistoria. Anthony Giddens begrepp ontologisk trygghet granskas kritiskt i förhållande till existentiell välmående och används sedan för att undersöka förhållandet mellan individerna och den materiella verkligheten. Detta utmynnar sedan i ett begrepp ? platstrygghet ? som analyseras i empiriska studier genom djupintervjuer. Avhandlingens empiriska material består av en studie från ett urbant område i i södra Sverige samt en studie från ett ruralt område i norra Norge.
Tidigare psykologiska studier har påvisat att förändringsprocesser som graviditet och familjebildande påverkar individers upplevelse av existentiell trygghet. Många blivande föräldrar minns sin egen barndom och funderar över sin identitet och tillhörighet. Empiriska data i avhandlingen bekräftar dessa resultat men påvisar att de inte endast kan reduceras till sociala aspekter utan också till den fysiska miljön. När kvinnorna känner sig sårbara relaterar de till olika aspekter i det fysiska landskapet som ger dem en djupare upplevelse av trygghet och som reducerar den ångest de känner inför att bilda familj. Detta gäller både kvinnor som levt ett mobilt liv och de som varit förankrade vid samma plats.
En form av copingstrategi som kvinnorna använder är att de återvänder till sina barndoms platser. En annan är att de försöker skapa miljöer för sina barn som påminner dem om de platser de själva konstituerade sin identitet till som barn. Sociala institutioner som daghem, skolor och tillgång till arbete ger kvinnorna en känsla av trygghet rent praktisk i vardagen. En djupare ontologisk trygghet och andra sidan kan relateras till platser i dessa kvinnors livshistoria som representerar kontinuitet och identitet för dem som individer. Den materiella verkligheten i barndomen representerade trygghet för kvinnorna i deras vuxna liv.
Avhandlingen ifrågasätter således att den verkligheten vi upplever som trygg i samband med identitetskriser kan indelas i en social/nature dikotomi. Den betonar vikten av den materiellas betydelse (inklusive den fysiska omgivningens) för barn, samt påvisar hur det påverkar kvinnornas upplevelser när de själva bildar familj. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/25595
- author
- Rämgård, Margareta LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Gatrell, Tony, Lancaster University, England
- organization
- publishing date
- 2006
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Social geography, health geography, existential crises, Place, ontological security, Socialgeografi
- in
- Meddelande från Lunds universitets geografiska institution. Avhandlingar
- issue
- 170
- pages
- 182 pages
- publisher
- Department of Social and Economic Geography, Lund University
- defense location
- Geocentrum I, Sal 111, Sölvegatan 12
- defense date
- 2006-12-01 10:00:00
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:37849186023
- ISSN
- 0346-6787
- ISBN
- 91-974997-8-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5d9431c2-c2dc-4b10-9583-eeef92723560 (old id 25595)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 10:19:02
- date last changed
- 2022-01-29 20:09:50
@phdthesis{5d9431c2-c2dc-4b10-9583-eeef92723560,
abstract = {{The study explores the importance of place attachment on individuals? sense of security during existential crises. Coping strategies of pregnant women are analysed, focusing on how the prospect of giving birth affects their relationship to place. Anthony Giddens? concept of ontological security is critically examined and used to investigate the connection between place and ontological security ? what I call place security- through a set of empirical data drawn from in-depth interviews with pregnant women.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Two studies were carried out, one in Sweden and the other in northern Norway. A qualitative analysis was made of the interview material, using the three basic elements of ontological security self-identity, continuity and ritualisation as a grid of analysis. Prior psychological research indicates that the prospect of giving birth and raising a family brings the issue of ontological security to the surface. The data confirms such findings, demonstrating the particular importance of place. During pregnancy, the women came to consider issues of identity related to their own childhood experience. A sense of security connected to place was essential for their well-being in this vulnerable period of transition, and was consciously sought to alleviate anxiety.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Both women who had previously lived very mobile lives and those who had been more sedentary exhibit need for place security. One of the typical coping strategies displayed was to return to childhood places. In other cases, the women tried to achieve place security for their children by recreating an environment similar to the place their own sense of identity was rooted in. Social institutions, such as schools, day-care facilities and jobs, largely determine where a sense of security can be achieved from a practical point of view. Deeper ontological security, however, relates to the individual's life history, and to places that represent continuity, daily routines and the constitution of identity for that individual. The material environment during childhood forms the primary basis for feelings of ontological security in adult life. The women also often relate to specific landscapes through sensory memory. The study does not support the social/nature dichotomisation of reality, but instead emphasizes the significance of childhood experiences of the material environment with respect to the women's experience of security during pregnancy.}},
author = {{Rämgård, Margareta}},
isbn = {{91-974997-8-1}},
issn = {{0346-6787}},
keywords = {{Social geography; health geography; existential crises; Place; ontological security; Socialgeografi}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{170}},
publisher = {{Department of Social and Economic Geography, Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Meddelande från Lunds universitets geografiska institution. Avhandlingar}},
title = {{The Power of Place : Existential crises and Place Security in the Context of Pregnancy}},
year = {{2006}},
}