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| AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK OF SCALE BASED ON SECOND ABSTRACTION |
| WANG Feng-long1,2, LIU Yun-gang3 |
1. Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China;
2. Institute of Urban Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
3. School of Geography Sciences and Planning, and Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China |
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Abstract Scale is definitely a key concept in human geography. However, while heated discussions are prevailing among western human geographers, not much attention has been paid to the concept and analytical framework of scale in China. To advance the knowledge on scale in Chinese human geography, this paper first summarizes the major views to scale. Three approaches have been identified in existing Anglophone human geographical studies. An analytical framework of scale is then proposed based on previous studies and ideas drawn from mathematics and physics. This framework heights the understanding of scale as a kind of second abstraction rather than a seemingly messy concept with controversial metaphors. It mainly considers scale as the frame, structure and/or relations among basic geographical dimensions such as place, network and territory. Place denotes the dimension focusing on the positionality (e.g. distance to other places) and uniqueness (e.g. experiences of various components within a region and locational endowment); network mainly depicts the connections and flows among different geographies; territory emphasizes the delimitation by various borders and establishment of hierarchical power levels with different organizational structures and territorial extents. Various scalar concepts are further clarified under this prism.
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Received: 31 March 2014
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2015, Vol. 30 
