<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>As toponymic means of inscribing urban space, street names have been addressed mainly by human geographers, who have articulated the field of critical place-name studies. In this paper, I continue the endeavor started in the previous issue published in <italic>Social Change Review</italic> of reading street names through sociological lenses. Whereas in the first part of this two-part contribution the analysis was made from functionalist and conflictualist perspectives, this second and final part employs social constructionism and the utilitarian theoretical tradition in making sociological sense of street nomenclatures. First, conceiving of street names as forming discursively constructed linguistic landscapes, the paper shows how urban namescapes – the “city-text” – are written, erased, and rewritten to reflect the shifting political powers. Second, the paper examines the neoliberal processes of place branding and toponymic commodification by which street names are turned into sought-after urban commodities with transactional value on the real estate market. The paper concludes by inviting sociologists to join the conversation on street names, which should become an important topic of sociological reflection.</p>
</abstract>

As toponymic means of inscribing urban space, street names have been addressed mainly by human geographers, who have articulated the field of critical place-name studies. In this paper, I continue the endeavor started in the previous issue published in Social Change Review of reading street names through sociological lenses. Whereas in the first part of this two-part contribution the analysis was made from functionalist and conflictualist perspectives, this second and final part employs social constructionism and the utilitarian theoretical tradition in making sociological sense of street nomenclatures. First, conceiving of street names as forming discursively constructed linguistic landscapes, the paper shows how urban namescapes – the “city-text” – are written, erased, and rewritten to reflect the shifting political powers. Second, the paper examines the neoliberal processes of place branding and toponymic commodification by which street names are turned into sought-after urban commodities with transactional value on the real estate market. The paper concludes by inviting sociologists to join the conversation on street names, which should become an important topic of sociological reflection.

Street Names through Sociological Lenses. Part II: Constructionism and Utilitarianism

Department of Social Work, Journalism, Public Relations, and Sociology

Social Change Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

As toponymic means of inscribing urban space, street names have been addressed mainly by human geographers, who have articulated the field of critical...

Street Names through Sociological Lenses. Part II: Constructionism and Utilitarianism

Published Online: Dec 26, 2022

Page range: 1 - 28

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scr-2021-0001

Keywords
Sociology of street names, Politics of space, Linguistic landscapes, Critical toponymies, Human geography, Social theory

© 2021 Mihai Stelian Rusu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Street Names through Sociological Lenses. Part II: Constructionism and Utilitarianism

Published Online: Dec 26, 2022

Page range: 1 - 28

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/scr-2021-0001

KeywordsSociology of street names, Politics of space, Linguistic landscapes, Critical toponymies, Human geography, Social theory

© 2021 Mihai Stelian Rusu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Sociology of street names, Politics of space, Linguistic landscapes, Critical toponymies, Human geography, Social theory