areasare

Areasare is a term used in urban geography and critical planning to describe the view that geographic areas acquire meaning through social use and everyday practices rather than solely through fixed administrative borders. The concept treats areas as fluid constructs shaped by movement, activity, and perception, rather than static polygons on a map.

The term emerged in theoretical discussions in the 2010s among scholars exploring participatory mapping and boundary-work. Proponents argue that areas are made, contested, and renegotiated through community mapping, public space use, and service provision. The phrase areasare is commonly used to describe a methodological stance that prioritizes lived experience over official delineations.

Methodology: Researchers applying areasare employ participatory GIS, time-use surveys, and qualitative interviews to identify area identity based on function—where people live, work, shop, and socialize. Outputs include flexible, overlapping area definitions and maps that highlight flows across traditional borders. Applications include urban planning, emergency response, and social service delivery, ensuring resources align with actual usage patterns.

Criticism: Critics warn that areasare methods can reduce comparability across studies and introduce subjectivity. Supporters contend that the approach makes policy more equitable by revealing hidden geographies and marginalized communities that lie outside formal boundaries.

Related topics include critical geography, participatory GIS, boundary work, and area-based policy.