Territorial Landscape: Explaining the Relationship Between the Concept of Territory and Landscape

Abstract

Landscape and territory are concepts that refer to the relationship between human societies and their environment. Despite their widespread use in various studies, these concepts have sometimes been used interchangeably in an unclear manner, leading to ambiguity in their conceptual relationship and proper application in scientific research. Considering this issue, this study aims to clarify the relationship between the two concepts by examining landscape and territory, to ensure their correct usage in future research. Accordingly, this study addresses the following questions: What interpretations of the concepts of landscape and territory exist among different studies? And based on these interpretations, what conceptual relationship can be envisioned between the concepts of landscape and territory? This study is qualitative, and the data collection included a thorough search in both domestic and international databases. The data was analyzed using content analysis methods. The findings of this study indicate that territory is inherently a landscape and can be considered a type of landscape, conceptualized under the term “territorial landscape.” However, this large-scale landscape is itself composed of a collection of smaller landscape units, whose collective perception gives the territory and its identity distinctiveness. Additionally, the “Territorial landscape” refers to a concept different from “Landscape ecology” or “Territorial planning,” and unlike them, it adopts a holistic approach, considering both the objective and subjective dimensions of the territory. It emphasizes that territory is a historical, social, economic, ethnic, cultural, and ecological, unit that gives rise to a set of essential, unifying identity-giving characteristics within a geographical area.

Keywords

• landscape
• territory
• territorial landscape
• objective-subjective phenomenon
• human-made space