Over the past hundred years of urbanization and suburbanization, four key themes haveshaped urban and regional planning in both theory and practice: livability, territoriality,governance, and reflective professional practice. Planning Ideas That Mattercharts the trajectories of these powerful planning ideas in an increasingly interconnected world.
The contributors, leading theorists and practitioners, discuss livability interms of such issues as urban density, land use, and the relationship between the built environmentand natural systems; examine levels of territorial organization, drawing on literature onregionalism, metropolitanism, and territorial competition; describe the ways planning connects topolicy making and implementation in a variety of political contexts; and consider how plannersconceive of their work and learn from practice.
Throughout, the emphasis is onhow individuals and institutions--including government, business, professional organizations, anduniversities--have framed planning problems and ideas. The focus is less on techniques and programsthan on the underlying concepts that have animated professional discourse over the years. The bookis recommended for classroom use, as a reference for scholars and practitioners, and as a history ofplanning for those interested in the development of the field.
