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8 - Sense of Place and Liveability

Community Cognitions, Attachment and Social Action

from Part II - Examples, Issues and Opportunities for Policy and Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2026

Iain M. Butterworth
Affiliation:
Iain Butterworth and Associates
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Summary

This chapter explores how elements of ‘sense of place’—place dependence, identity, and attachment—are essential for creating liveable, healthy communities. It discusses how community social interaction, cohesion (sense of community), and collective action enhance liveability. Addressing frequent shortcomings in defining and measuring ‘liveability’, the authors integrate recent geospatial population health research to establish connections between place, health, development, and policy. A framework linking community cognitions, attachment, and social action in response to environmental threats and disruptions is applied to brief case studies from Bulgaria and the United States illustrating varied community responses aimed at healthier, more liveable environments. Recommendations include leveraging liveability audits to evaluate local and regional impacts of disruptions, articulating threats to community identity and economic wellbeing, and embedding psychological conceptions of place into public-health and urban-planning assessments. This integrated, ecological approach aims to strengthen community responses and inform policy decisions supporting population health and wellbeing

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