Problematizing urban microtoponyms

Abstract

A spatial perspective on microtoponyms, informal non‐standardized names of small objects and places known to the locals, is an often‐neglected segment of urban political toponymic theory and practice. Though critically‐oriented thinkers have acknowledged the role of vernacular place names in the spatial organization of symbolic cultural landscapes, place‐making processes, and the everyday life of people and their communities, conceptual spatial‐political theorizations on this subject have been relatively rare. Driven upon the critical toponymic theory, this paper aims to delineate a conceptual framework for studying urban microtoponyms as spatial phenomena by integrating the toponymic plurality notion. Based on examples primarily from non‐Western geographical contexts, this paper offers a fresh perspective on urban place naming practices and related spatial processes providing some analytical pathways for critical scholars in urban toponymy and guiding potential empirical investigations in this field.