The Planner-Prince: Interdependence, Rationalities and Post-communicative Practice

Planning theory affects practice: the debate between advocates of Habermasian communicative practice and its Foucauldian critics is relevant, because each demands different behaviour from planners. Communicative practice expects consensual planning through open democratic participation; Foucauldian theory implies strategic rationality and Machiavellian realpolitik for effective planning. The recognition of interdependence reconciles these conflicting prescriptions, showing why planning situations, involving interdependent actors, demand both. Among the various forms of interdependence, functional-instrumental interdependence is the one with practical implications. One implication is for planners to integrate communicative and strategic rationality in ways that fit particular situations. Another suggests more attention to institutional design.

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