e-journal

Island landscapes and European culture: An ‘island studies’ perspective

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The active imagining of a European identity needs to engage with the geographical possibilities,
visualisations and performativities of place. It is all too easy but superficial and naive to
consider geophysical parameters as the silent backdrop or empty canvas on which cultural initiatives
unfold. European islands, amongst other features – mountains, coasts, forests – are imbued
with powerful (and often Western) myths and tropes of place: they combine materiality and metaphor,
presenting spaces that at once appear open and closed, fixed yet fluid, complete and peripheral,
vulnerable yet resilient. The geo-social constitution of their culture is also subject to the
vantage point of the observer, him/herself caught in the liminality between being a visitor, being
an islander, and various other uneasily defined categories in between.

Acknowledging the insights of the likes of Clifford Geertz, Ulf Hannerz, Anna-Maria Greverus
and Owe Ronstro¨ m, this paper proposes that a critical analysis and appreciation of European culture
in island landscapes must be one that engages with the nature of islandness; the locus of study
should also be the focus of study. This paper also suggests epistemologies to flesh out this approach,
its merits, but also the dangers associated with essentialising island spaces and peoples.

KEYWORDS: Culture; Europe; Focus; Islandness; Island studies; Locus; Landscape; Metaphor; Materiality; Natural laboratories

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Ketersediaan

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Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Journal of Marine and Island Cultures

No. Panggil

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Penerbit

New York : Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution for Marine and Island Cultures, Mokpo National University.., 2013

Deskripsi Fisik

Journal of Marine and Island Cultures (2013) 2, 13–19

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

http://dx.doi.org/10

Klasifikasi

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Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

(2013) 2,

Subjek

ILMU KELAUTAN

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

agus

Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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