Reuben Rose-Redwood in CBC: "'Gulf of America' shift won't be the first time Google Maps has changed names depending on your location"
January 30, 2025

In a rapidly shifting global landscape, maps are more than just tools for navigation—they are political statements.
University of Victoria geography professor and social sciences associate dean Dr. Reuben Rose-Redwood was recently featured in a CBC article about Google Maps’ decision to change the name of certain geographic locations based on new executive orders passed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The article highlights Google’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for users in the United States and revert Denali back to Mount McKinley, following recent U.S. government policy changes. These moves have sparked debate about the role of digital mapping platforms in reflecting—and shaping—political narratives.
Dr. Rose-Redwood, an expert in social and cultural geography and critical urban studies whose research often focuses on critical theories of mapping and the politics of place, offered insight into the broader significance of these changes.
“Whenever you start to see a lot of names being changed for places in history, it often signals major political changes or power struggles in society,” he noted in the article.
His comments underscore the importance of critically analyzing how digital platforms like Google Maps shape public understanding of territorial disputes and national identity.
As the leading force in digital mapping, Google has historically altered place names based on geopolitical tensions. Examples include variations in the Kashmir region, the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, and the Persian Gulf/Arabian Gulf, where names shift depending on the user’s location.
Rose-Redwood urged caution when reacting to politically motivated renaming efforts, emphasizing the importance of long-term perspectives in cartography.
"The age of Trump is not going to last forever,” he said. “I would encourage companies and cartographers to think critically about how they make maps and whether or not they just go along with political currents of the day.”
For more on Dr. Rose-Redwood’s work, visit his faculty profile.
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