Abstract
Over the last ten years, scholars in human geography have been paying increasing theoretical and empirical attention to understanding the ways in which the production of scale is implicated in the production of space. Overwhelmingly, this work reflects a social constructionist approach, which situates capitalist production (and the role of the state, capital, labor and nonstate political actors) as of central concern. What is missing from this discussion about the social construction of scale is serious attention to the relevance of social reproduction and consumption. In this article I review the important literature on scale construction and argue for enlarging our scope for understanding scale to include the complex processes of social reproduction and consumption. I base my critique on a short case study which illustrates that attention to other processes besides production and other systems of domination besides capitalism can enhance our theorizing and improve our attempts to effect real social change.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Politics |
Subtitle of host publication | Critical Essays in Human Geography |
Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
Pages | 297-320 |
Number of pages | 24 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781351910286 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780754626909 |
State | Published - May 15 2017 |
Keywords
- Consumption
- Difference
- Gender
- Home
- Scale
- Social reproduction
- Space
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)