Author Description

Any examination of history soon undermines such thoughts but this is not to deny their significance. What we are experiencing is a remarkable collection of factors that require us to rethink many established practices, cherished ideals and even the enlightenment search for progress through science and rationality. Planning is of course deeply embroiled in these debates. For example, * The neo-liberal hegemony of the past two decades remains entrenched against the growing importance given by society to the environment. * Globalisation and the shift to what some have termed the post-industrial society increasingly mean that places are becoming commodities to be packaged and sold in the world-wide search for capital. * Nationalism, devolution and the Balkanisation of former nation states continues alongside the growing importance of supra-national institutions such as the EU and the United Nations in prescribing and influencing policies on land use. * Increasing demands for greater participation and accountability conflict with entrenched attitudes of technical authority within the planning profession. These over-arching debates structure and influence the practices of planning. In a provocative and broad collection of chapters from young academics this book examines these current debates and explores possible futures for sustainability, urban regeneration, the planning profession, environmental and transport policy, social exclusion, housing and planning theory. Regardless of the topic all the chapters conclude that planning needs to be rethought for the challenges and changes going on around it.