Developments in Anlgo-American Planning Theory

Throughout the history, scientific practitioners have developed theories by testing hypotheses and finding empirical evidence for new theories.  These theories are in an ongoing process which includes correcting and updating knowledge when more information is gathered and more research is carried out. When new insightful information is found, scientific breakthrough is achieved.

Scientific breakthroughs can be described as ‘paradigm shifts’ that happen when a whole way of perceiving some aspect of the world is changed and substituted with a new theoretical perspective. Simple example of a paradigm shift is the shift from viewing the Earth as flat to seeing it as round. (Kuhn, 1962)

Has there been any paradigm shifts in planning theory between the years 1940 and 2000? What other developments there have been during this time period?

According to Taylor (1999), there have been three important shifts in planning theory. Firstly, planners are no longer just creative designers who view towns as physical places. Instead, planners have to consider towns as ‘systems of interrelated activities’ that are ‘in a constant flux’. That is, planners have to take social life and economic activities into account in addition to physical terms. Second, contemporary planning relays on rationality rather than creativity. The reason for this is that planning is no longer art. Instead, it is science. (Taylor, 1999, p. 332)

Finally, planners have become ‘communicators’ whereas planners used to be more like technical experts. Indeed, one of the most important tasks of planners is to identify and mediate between different interest groups and stakeholders. (Taylor, 1999, p. 335)

So, have there been any really significant ‘paradigm shifts’ in planning theory? The changes above do not represent paradigm shifts because there have not been major shifts in world view: the idea has always been to carry out high quality planning. Whether the idea is to emphasize design or social processes, the goal is still to control good development in a ‘local’ level of area. (Taylor, 1999, p. 341)

 

References

Kuhn, T 1962, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Taylor, N 1999, ‘Anglo-American Town Planning Theory since 1945: Three Significant Developments but no Paradigm Shifts’, Planning Perspectives, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 327-345.