Reflections on the Politics of Place (Re)-Naming: Decolonisation, the Collapse of Totalitarian Regimes, and Government Changes

Previous research on toponymy analyses the roots and meanings of place names. However, the advent of the Critical Toponymy Theory has added a new dimension to the study of toponymy, particularly, focusing on the politics of naming. Theorists have looked at how place naming and renaming is a common strategy used by rulers to achieve legitimacy for their social, political, and national objectives. New governments, who assume power through means such decolonisation or the removal of despotic regimes or being elected, then change the name of existing places to reflect the incoming order. This piece reflects on various examples worldwide and illustrates that toponymic renaming, in some cases known as “toponymic cleansing”, has been and continues to be used by modern governments. Notwithstanding, the individual socio-political experiences of various countries also shape the extent to which toponyms are modified, ultimately showing that place names intersect with politics, society, language, geography, history, landscaping, and culture of a locality.