Geographical Naming in Northeast Asia: Sustaining Cultural Traditions

Geographical naming, also known as toponymy, has experienced a renewed interest in geography and other disciplines. Discussions of geographical names have largely been focused on their location aspects in the past and their representation on maps. However, geographical names have also developed into a critical study and research topic when the question arises: "What is in a name?" Geographical names are examined for their ethnic, cultural and emotive elements as well as for their historical qualities and antecedents. This session is designed to present research and pedagogical papers on geographical naming and examples of the critical nature of naming as a topic in geography education.