THE CONCEPT OF PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHY: CONTRIBUTIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS IN THE THEORETICAL DEBATE

Abstract

This article analyzes the concept of place within the field of geographic science, based on the assumption that it goes beyond the reductionist conception that associates it exclusively with the dimension of subjective experiences or with the homogenization resulting from the process of globalization. It starts from the hypothesis that place exists as a connecting link that mediates between abstract experiences and feelings and broad and tangible socio-spatial structures. This is a theoretical study grounded in bibliographic review, articulating the contributions of the humanistic and critical strands of Geography, and demonstrating place as a point of convergence among different agents, attributes, and power structures. As a result, place is conceived as a mediating category between local and global events, which coexist and reveal dualities and conflicts that, in turn, influence the spatial organization of contemporary societies. It is concluded that addressing the concept in an articulated manner and from different analytical perspectives deepens the epistemological debate and contributes to overcoming dichotomous conceptual views.