Item Details
Skip Navigation Links
   ActiveUsers:1130Hits:21176686Skip Navigation Links
Show My Basket
Contact Us
IDSA Web Site
Ask Us
Today's News
HelpExpand Help
Advanced search

In Basket
  Journal Article   Journal Article
 

ID189377
Title ProperAssembling a Critical Toponymy of Diplomacy
Other Title Informationthe Case of Ankara, Turkey
LanguageENG
AuthorSysiö, Timo
Summary / Abstract (Note)An entire subdiscipline of critical toponymy has developed over the past decades to produce theoretically informed approaches to the study of place-naming, in general, and street-naming, in particular. Among other things, research has focused on the colonial politics of street-naming; renaming of streets after a regime change; and the social justice of street-naming. What has not been documented and discussed in detail, however, is street-naming in terms of interstate geopolitics and diplomacy. In light of this omission, the current paper analyses street-naming as a form of diplomatic gift-giving and an element of geopolitical representations. Drawing on the Turkish capital city of Ankara as a case study, our assemblage analysis shows that street-naming as a form of diplomatic gift-giving has multiple underlying intentions, from strengthening existing ties to recognising shared historical, cultural, ethnic and religious narratives. Street names can also be unwanted gifts to punish or shame other countries for breaking alliances or opposing the ruling regime’s policies. As a form of ritual exchange, street-naming is highly choreographed and may include the obligation to reciprocate the gift. We end the article by suggesting new angles on, and directions for, critical toponymy and diplomacy research.
`In' analytical NoteGeopolitics Vol. 28, No.1; Jan-Feb 2023: p.416-438
Journal SourceGeopolitics Vol: 28 No 1
Key WordsTurkey ;  Critical Toponymy of Diplomacy ;  Case of Ankara


 
 
Media / Other Links  Full Text