All is land, but not all is landscape: social discourses around the landscape

Abstract

Political and academic discourses generally argue that it is possible for all land to be viewed as landscape. Research into social discourse about the landscape, however, reveals that only certain parts of the land possess the characteristics required for its inhabitants to consider it as landscape, as this study shows by analysing several interviews and focus group discussions conducted in two provinces in the south of Spain (Granada and Almería) to understand how people perceive and experience landscapes. This perspective can be very detrimental regarding conservation actions: if the landscape value is not recognised, there is no reason to conserve it. The repercussions for landscape management and protection policies in this regard can be far-reaching. It is not sufficient to merely assert that all land is landscape; rather, society must recognise it as such if the landscape is to be both valued and cared for.

Keywords:

• Landscape
• land
• perceptions
• social position

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Institute for Regional Development of the University of Granada, Nubia Consultores, and all the people who participated in the interviews and focus groups.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The translation of this article was funded by the Department of Sociology, the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology of the University of Granada and the research group Social Problems in Andalucía [SEJ-129].

Notes on contributors

María José Morillo-Rodríguez

María José Morillo-Rodríguez is Lecturer at the University of Málaga. She holds a degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Social Problems from the University of Granada. Her main research topics are migration to the rural world and mobility in general, especially through qualitative methodology.

Nayla Fuster

Nayla Fuster is Professor of Sociology at the University of Málaga (Spain). After completing a degree in Sociology and a master’s in Social Problems at the University of Granada, she obtained her PhD in Social Sciences at the University of Granada. She received a National Grant to undertake her PhD and completed her training with research stays at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Turin. Subsequently, she obtained a scholarship as a postdoctoral researcher that she developed at the Centre for Applied Social Research (CISA).

Ángela Mesa-Pedrazas

Ángela Mesa-Pedrazas is Researcher and PhD Student in Social Sciences at the University of Granada. Her main object of study is the social construction of public space in cities. However, her field of research and professional experience extends to all social realities linked to territorial dimensions.

Joaquín Susino-Arbucias

Joaquín Susino-Arbucias is 'Extraordinary Collaborating Professor’ (semi-retired) in the Department of Sociology at the University of Granada. He graduated in Business Sciences (ICADE) and in Sociology (U. Complutense). After a long period of practicing the profession of sociologist, especially at the service of the Ministry of Public Works of Andalucía, he became part of the University of Granada, where he received a PhD in 2003. Since he joined the University of Granada, he has worked on around twenty Research Projects and Research Contracts (approximately half of them as Principal Investigator). He has more than 50 publications to his name, including articles in scientific journals, book chapters and collective books.