This volume is part of a two volume set: ISBN 9781407358260 (Volume I); ISBN 9781407358277 (Volume II); ISBN 9780860540236 (Set of both volumes). This introductory paper attempts to outline sorne of the issues and contra­dictions involved in the analysis of space in settlements, particularly confusions which have developed because the notion of different levels of order in human behaviour has seemed to baffle researchers.