Just Planning

Abstract

The conceptualizations of justice that have most influenced recent debates in planning theory have focused on procedural concerns, while questions of value and the good have been regarded as problematic given a world of plurality and difference. This article argues that questions of value are an inescapable part of the activity of planning and hence its purpose is to identify the key dimensions of a reconceptualized notion of justice for planning. The argument is presented through consideration of two key themes: the relationship between the individual and the collective, and the notion of “reasonableness” in relation to matters of public policy related to planning. The implications of this analysis lead on to consideration of the scope of collective obligations and the nature of judgment and reasoning in planning. The article concludes by arguing that justice in planning is about situated ethical judgment— a conceptualization of justice that raises significant issues in relation to future developments in planning thought.