The Politics of Street Naming

The chapter examines the role of streets as politically contested spaces that act as representations of a group’s self-image—its identity—and serve as a means of politicizing space. Street-naming, a complex process influenced by factors such as public memory, the language of daily life, political and administrative power, and urban space, plays a pivotal role in this context. The inclusion of historical references within street-names assumes particular significance in this process. These characteristics lend street-naming a dynamic nature, as the selected names delineate the identity of the space and, by extension, the individuals inhabiting it. By analysing the interplay of naming practices from a critical approach, the chapter explores the power relations involved in street-naming and, in particular, the utilization of historical narratives as a political tool in the hands of the ruling elites.