About the Book
The culmination of a critical study of neo-pragmatism philosophy and its application to planning, Dialogical Planning in a Fragmented Society begins with philosopher Stanley M. Stein's examination of neo-pragmatism and his thoughts on how it can be useful in the field of environmental design-specifically, how it can be applied to planning procedures and problems. Neo-pragmatism is an approach that has been, in the past, best expressed or implied in the writing of Hilary Putnam, Richard Rorty, and, in particular, Donald Davidson, John Rawls, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Thomas L. Harper furthers this tradition by providing the context for this theoretical application from his academic background in economics and management as well as his practical experience with political decision-making processes, community planning, and economic development. The result is a fresh synthesis of ideas-a new approach to thinking about planning theory and its implications for, and relationship with, practice. Philosopher Michael Walzer has asserted that "philosophy reflects and articulates the political culture of its time, and politics presents and enacts the arguments of philosophy." Similarly, the authors view planning theory as planning reflected upon in tranquility, away from the tumult of battle, and planning practice as planning theory acted out in the confusion of the trenches. Each changes the other in a dynamic way, and the authors demonstrate the intimate and inextricable link between them.
Table of Contents:
Introduction I PLANNING SHOULD GIVE UP THE MODERNIST PARADIGM 1 The Crisis in Modernist Planning 2 Modernistic ("Rational") Planning, PLANNING SHOULD BE PRAGMATIC 3 Two Responses to Modernism: Postmodernism or Neopragmatism 4 Out of the Postmodern Abyss: Postmodernist Themes III PLANNING SHOULD BE CRI'TICALLY LIBERAL 5 Classical Liberalism and Planning 6 A Critical Liberal Perspective DIALOGICAL PLANNING IN A FRAGMENTED SOCIETY 7 Pragmatic Incrementalist Planning IV PLANNING SHOULD RECOGNIZE AN EMERGING WAY 8 A Dialogical Planning Approach 9 A Dialogical Planning Approach: Critiques and Questions 10 Dialogical Planning in Practice V PLANNING SHOULD AvOID MODERNIST AND POSTMODERNIST TRAPS VI The Search for Clear Categories and Universal Principles 12 The Radical Paradigm Shift 13 The Multicultural Trap (Relativism) 14 The Rejection of Theory 15 Power, Trust, and Planning 16 Conclusion: Key Strengths of Dialogical Planning
About the Author :
Thomas L. Harper (Edited by) , Stanley M. Stein (Edited by)
Review :
-Dialogical Planning is a very personal book, as it relates the philosophical explorations of Harper and Stein over a fifteen-year period... It incorporates eleven contributions published between 1992 and 2005... [T]his is a major contribution to planning theory. It offers an inquiry that takes root in planning practice and blossoms into an original theoretical perspective on planning, which stands out among the two or three major schools of thought that dominate the field... Dialogical Planning assumes prior knowledge of philosophy and planning theory.-
--Pierre Filion, Canadian Journal of Urban Research
-The purpose of this book is to address the question: -What is the best planning approach for a contemporary liberal democratic society?- Harper and Stein are looking for a process that will help us to understand, critique, develop, and reform public institutions, processes, and agencies, and to make decisions and resolve conflicts within these frameworks... The philosophical angle of the book is clear in the preface; the book is a critical study of a certain conception of philosophy, namely neopragmatism, and its application to planning. Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on... Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenets and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job in clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists. As a textbook, it is likely to be best suited to the graduate level.-
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
-[A] useful reference for planning students, planners, and all other actors in the planning process who wish to explore some of the major shifts in their endeavors over the last century.-
--Belinda Yuen, Journal of Regional Science
-Harper and Stein's... engaging style makes their book accessible and informative to a wide range of audiences, from graduate students through fellow academics to reflective practitioners... These ideas and concepts from recent and contemporary philosophy are highly relevant for planning theorists and practitioners alike, and for this Harper and Stein's book makes enlightening reading.-
--E.R. Alexander, Planning Theory
-Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on. No other textbook takes postmodernism as seriously as this one. Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenants and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job of clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists.-
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
"Dialogical Planning is a very personal book, as it relates the philosophical explorations of Harper and Stein over a fifteen-year period... It incorporates eleven contributions published between 1992 and 2005... [T]his is a major contribution to planning theory. It offers an inquiry that takes root in planning practice and blossoms into an original theoretical perspective on planning, which stands out among the two or three major schools of thought that dominate the field... Dialogical Planning assumes prior knowledge of philosophy and planning theory."
--Pierre Filion, Canadian Journal of Urban Research
"The purpose of this book is to address the question: "What is the best planning approach for a contemporary liberal democratic society?" Harper and Stein are looking for a process that will help us to understand, critique, develop, and reform public institutions, processes, and agencies, and to make decisions and resolve conflicts within these frameworks... The philosophical angle of the book is clear in the preface; the book is a critical study of a certain conception of philosophy, namely neopragmatism, and its application to planning. Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on... Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenets and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job in clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists. As a textbook, it is likely to be best suited to the graduate level."
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
"[A] useful reference for planning students, planners, and all other actors in the planning process who wish to explore some of the major shifts in their endeavors over the last century."
--Belinda Yuen, Journal of Regional Science
"Harper and Stein's... engaging style makes their book accessible and informative to a wide range of audiences, from graduate students through fellow academics to reflective practitioners... These ideas and concepts from recent and contemporary philosophy are highly relevant for planning theorists and practitioners alike, and for this Harper and Stein's book makes enlightening reading."
--E.R. Alexander, Planning Theory
"Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on. No other textbook takes postmodernism as seriously as this one. Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenants and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job of clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists."
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
"Dialogical Planning is a very personal book, as it relates the philosophical explorations of Harper and Stein over a fifteen-year period... It incorporates eleven contributions published between 1992 and 2005... [T]his is a major contribution to planning theory. It offers an inquiry that takes root in planning practice and blossoms into an original theoretical perspective on planning, which stands out among the two or three major schools of thought that dominate the field... Dialogical Planning assumes prior knowledge of philosophy and planning theory."
--Pierre Filion, Canadian Journal of Urban Research
"The purpose of this book is to address the question: "What is the best planning approach for a contemporary liberal democratic society?" Harper and Stein are looking for a process that will help us to understand, critique, develop, and reform public institutions, processes, and agencies, and to make decisions and resolve conflicts within these frameworks... The philosophical angle of the book is clear in the preface; the book is a critical study of a certain conception of philosophy, namely neopragmatism, and its application to planning. Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on... Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenets and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job in clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists. As a textbook, it is likely to be best suited to the graduate level."
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
"[A] useful reference for planning students, planners, and all other actors in the planning process who wish to explore some of the major shifts in their endeavors over the last century."
--Belinda Yuen, Journal of Regional Science
"Harper and Stein's... engaging style makes their book accessible and informative to a wide range of audiences, from graduate students through fellow academics to reflective practitioners... These ideas and concepts from recent and contemporary philosophy are highly relevant for planning theorists and practitioners alike, and for this Harper and Stein's book makes enlightening reading."
--E.R. Alexander, Planning Theory
"Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on. No other textbook takes postmodernism as seriously as this one. Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenants and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job of clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists."
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
"[A] useful reference for planning students, planners, and all other actors in the planning process who wish to explore some of the major shifts in their endeavors over the last century."
--Belinda Yuen, Journal of Regional Science
"Harper and Stein's... engaging style makes their book accessible and informative to a wide range of audiences, from graduate students through fellow academics to reflective practitioners... These ideas and concepts from recent and contemporary philosophy are highly relevant for planning theorists and practitioners alike, and for this Harper and Stein's book makes enlightening reading."
--E.R. Alexander, Planning Theory
"Harper and Stein are seeking to situate dialogical planning in relation to contemporary ideas about epistemology, rational action, deliberative democracy, power, and so on. No other textbook takes postmodernism as seriously as this one. Harper and Stein painstakingly position dialogical planning in relation to the various tenants and characteristics of postmodernism. They do an important job of clarifying why certain intellectual currents in social research do not fit well with communicative planning's critical and liberal orientation... Harper and Stein's book addresses problems and contradictions that have been haunting planning theory at least for the last couple of decades. This includes the modernism/postmodernism debate, the Rawlsian presentation of critical liberalism, the varying approaches to multiculturalism, and critiques of Foucauldian ideas of power. Harper and Stein's treatment of these themes should make the book appealing to a wide range of planning theorists."
--Tore Sager, Journal of Urban Affairs
