Jadwiga Biegańska

Abstract

Polycentric urban regions encompass centres that function both independently and as parts of an integrated whole, which presents a challenge to their functional integration. This study investigates how regional naming captures a specific dimension of this integration: residents' regional identity and attachment. Based on a survey conducted among 3,084 residents of Poland's eight largest urban regions, the analysis indicates that the name of a region can serve as a symbolic vehicle of meaning, shaping spatial perception and fostering residents' sense of connection. As such, constructing narratives around the region's name can become a tool for supporting integration processes within polycentric urban regions.

Keywords: polycentric urban regions, place names, regional identity, regional attachment, Poland

Donata Wysocka-Niemiec [d.wysocka@doktorant.umk.pl], Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Social Sciences Academia Rerum Socialium Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Bojarskiego 1, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Ben Derudder [ben.derudder@kuleuven.be], Public Governance Institute KU Leuven Parkstraat 45, 3000 Leuven: Belgium; Department of Geography Ghent University Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent: Belgium; Department of Urban Studies and Sustainable Development Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Jadwiga Biegańska [jadwigab@umk.pl], Department of Urban Studies and Sustainable Development Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń: Poland