Abstract
This article discusses a central paradox behind mobile geography - mobile phones are ubiquitous and bodily intimate technologies, yet the public seems particularly fearful of any spatial proximity to mobile phone masts. Such fears are generally understood in terms of 'risk perception', an irrational consequence of media hype, faulty cognitive processing, or communication failure. This merely psychologises what is a deeply spatial paradox. The routine 'nomadic intimacy' of mobile phone use establishes place as a mere backdrop to being always 'on-call', too absorbed in the 'busy-ness' of everyday life to notice what is close at hand. In contrast, what we term 'place intimacy' becomes evident when public protest over the unwanted intrusion of phone masts helps refashion familiar places as meaningful, safe and worth protecting.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 320-330 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Geography |
| Volume | 88 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2003 |
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Base station fears : the paradox of mobile geography. / Law, Alex; McNeish, Wallace; Gray, Linda.
In: Geography, Vol. 88, No. 4, 10.2003, p. 320-330.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Base station fears
T2 - the paradox of mobile geography
AU - Law, Alex
AU - McNeish, Wallace
AU - Gray, Linda
PY - 2003/10
Y1 - 2003/10
N2 - This article discusses a central paradox behind mobile geography - mobile phones are ubiquitous and bodily intimate technologies, yet the public seems particularly fearful of any spatial proximity to mobile phone masts. Such fears are generally understood in terms of 'risk perception', an irrational consequence of media hype, faulty cognitive processing, or communication failure. This merely psychologises what is a deeply spatial paradox. The routine 'nomadic intimacy' of mobile phone use establishes place as a mere backdrop to being always 'on-call', too absorbed in the 'busy-ness' of everyday life to notice what is close at hand. In contrast, what we term 'place intimacy' becomes evident when public protest over the unwanted intrusion of phone masts helps refashion familiar places as meaningful, safe and worth protecting.
AB - This article discusses a central paradox behind mobile geography - mobile phones are ubiquitous and bodily intimate technologies, yet the public seems particularly fearful of any spatial proximity to mobile phone masts. Such fears are generally understood in terms of 'risk perception', an irrational consequence of media hype, faulty cognitive processing, or communication failure. This merely psychologises what is a deeply spatial paradox. The routine 'nomadic intimacy' of mobile phone use establishes place as a mere backdrop to being always 'on-call', too absorbed in the 'busy-ness' of everyday life to notice what is close at hand. In contrast, what we term 'place intimacy' becomes evident when public protest over the unwanted intrusion of phone masts helps refashion familiar places as meaningful, safe and worth protecting.
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0346264694
VL - 88
SP - 320
EP - 330
JO - Geography
JF - Geography
SN - 0016-7487
IS - 4
ER -