Urban Linguistic Landscapes and Identity Formation in Madrid's Districts

Luis Guerra examines how urban planning and linguistic landscapes reveal identity dynamics in cities, focusing on Madrid's Tetuán and Carabanchel districts. The article explores how migrant communities create hybrid identities through visible language signs in public spaces, while urban design facilitates encounters between diverse groups. In Tetuán, Bravo Murillo street acts as a permeable boundary between affluent and working-class neighborhoods, with markets enabling social interactions. In Carabanchel, former industrial spaces have attracted artistic communities, creating new linguistic landscapes alongside traditional working-class areas. The piece argues that urban linguistic patterns can be read alongside planning practices that promote contact between different identity groups.