Postmodern social theory has provided significant insights into our understanding of society and its components. Key thinkers including Foucault, Baudrillard and Lyotard have challenged existing ideas about power and rationality in society. This book analyses planning from a postmodern perspective and explores alternative conceptions based on a combination of postmodern thinking and other fields of social theory. In doing so, it exposes some of the limits of postmodern social theory while providing an alternative conception of planning in the twenty-first century. This title will appeal to anyone interested in how we think and act in relation to cities, urban planning and governance.

Planning theory has undergone significant changes in recent decades. The revised and updated 2nd edition of this popular text provides a wide-ranging and up-to-date analysis of these changes, how they relate to planning practice, and their significance. It is an essential guide to current planning theory and the post-positivist perspective.

In this book it explores science and technology, makes connections between these epistemic, cultural, and political trends, and develops profound insights into the nature of our postmodernity.

Planning Theory expresses a sound unease about the direction taken by the current analysis and criticism of planning experiences. To oppose the debate that freezes planning as a permanently declining engagement, this book aims to identify the essential guidelines of a re-launch of planning processes and techniques, configuring a kind of neo-discipline. This builds upon a multi-disciplinary integration - never seen and experimented with until now.

Taylor describes the development of urban planning ideas since the end of the Second World War, outlining the main theories from the traditional view of planning as an exercise in physical design to recent views of planning as 'communicative action'.

Planning and Transformation provides a comprehensive view of planning under political transition in South Africa, offering an accessible resource for both students and researchers in an international and a local audience. In the years after the 1994 transition to democracy in South Africa, planners believed they would be able to successfully promote a vision of integrated, equitable and sustainable cities, and counter the spatial distortions created by apartheid. This book covers the experience of the planning community, the extent to which their aims were achieved, and the hindering factors. Although some of the factors affecting planning have been context-specific, the nature of South Africa’s transition and its relationship to global dynamics have meant that many of the issues confronting planners in other parts of the world are echoed here. Issues of governance, integration, market competitiveness, sustainability, democracy and values are significant, and the particular nature of the South African experience lends new insights to thinking on these questions, exploring the possibilities of achievement in the planning field.

Planning theory is currently in a confused state as a consequence of a number of changes over the last ten years in planning practice and social and economic theory. Even prior to these events, planning theory was an uncertain discipline, reflecting planning's precarious position between and resting upon a range of professional subject areas and philosophical roots. Planning Futures is an attempt to pin down the constantly evolving landscape of planning theory and to chart a path through this fast changing field. Planning Futures is an up-to-date reader on planning theory, but adds something more to the subject area than a mere textbook. The contributors have attempted to bridge theory and practice while putting forward new theoretical ideas. By drawing upon examples from planning practice and case study scenarios, the authors ensure that the work discusses planning theory within the context of present planning practice. Case studies are drawn from an international arena, from the UK, Europe, South Africa and Australia.