Call for Papers: Place Names and Gazetteers
Abstract Deadline: October 28, 2009

The AAG is sponsoring a special set of sessions at its upcoming Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, April 14-18, 2010 on the geography of place names and the related topic of gazetteers.

Place names and the geographies attached to them evolve over time and space and are of great interest – and importance – to geographers, historians, archeologists, census takers, and anyone working with place-based data over time.  This special sequence of sessions will open with a panel session led by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and will follow with other related sessions.

AAG Special Sessions on Geography and Place Names:

• U.S. Board on Geographic Names – Current Needs and Future Trends
• The international coordination of place names
• Private sector and web-based place name trends
• Historical GIS and temporally-enabled global gazetteers

The AAG welcomes paper abstracts on these topics and others, including:

• Place name conventions
• Place names and history
• Place names and the construction of identity
• Technology and place name gazetteers
• Place names and censuses
• Place name struggles

If you are interested in participating in these sessions, please submit a 250 word abstract no later than October 28, 2009 to Megan Overbey at moverbey@aag.org.  Earlier submission is encouraged.

For more information on the sessions contact AAG Executive Director, Douglas Richardson, at drichardson@aag.org.