Seminar Seven: New Directions in Planning Theory

New Directions in Planning Theory by Susan Fainstein offers a captivating insight into the predominant theories of planning that are played out in a more capitalist political economic environment. Fainstein discusses the main three theories at hand; the Just City, New Urbanism and the Communicative Model. She elaborates on the three theories and how they have been put to practice by planners and other practitioners of the field during the period of the post-war era.

Fainstein explains that the Just City complex model reverberates on the theory that citizen participation is critical for positive outcomes to be delivered through developments in planning. However, there must be a clear understanding that this model is more aligned to Marxist views and socialism. This model, though may seem like a pleasant idea on paper, cannot be successful in a capitalist climate where market influence are at the forefront of developments, something which is contradictory to socialist views.
The New Urbanism theory is a more common idea taken up by planners, especially during the 1980's and 1990's. Its the idea that buildings, from shops to post offices, are to be of a convenient walking nature from the home. The New Urbanism also supports a fuse in land use and building density. Despite its vast negative environmental implications, this theory seems more pragmatic for this modern age.....well for the time being at least.
The Communicative Idea, meanwhile, is more about facilitating and mediating between groups of interests and stake holders. This theory model solely bases its philosophy on the idea of citizen participation. Despite this theory being extremely common amongst planners since WWII it has sometime failed due to the inability to be able to come to a consensus that is favourable for all groups of interest, therefore failing to implement a plan that can be suited for the majority of the population.

                              Sometime mediating stake holders can be extremely difficult,
                                       especially when all options on the table may not favour all groups
                                       of interest. The guy on the left, meanwhile, is adamant to get his
                                       choice of proposal recognized....lol