By adopting theoretical approaches from the fields of management studies, cultural studies and anthropology, and by using culture as an organising principle, this book develops an innovative framework which provides better insights into what culture is about, what the relations are between culture and planning and how culture influences planning practices.

Frank Othengrafen, HafenCity University Hamburg, Germany

Contents: Preface; Introduction: why study planning culture? Planning culture as a determinant of planning practices; Part I The Conceptual Framework for Analysing Cultures: Spatial planning and development in Europe: the importance of cultural contexts; Contemporary spatial planning models and the absence of culture; Culture as an organising category: how to analyse culture and its impact on planning systematically?; The interpretative framework: a general outline for the analysis of planning practices. Part II Empirical Studies of Planning Practice: Planning culture in Hamburg, Germany: between thoroughness, uncertainty avoidance and commercial pragmatism; Planning cultures in Helsinki, Finland: local autonomy, romantic rural views and social justice; Synopsis of the empirical results and an evaluation of the interpretative framework. Part III Generalisation of the Results - Deduction of a Theoretical Model for the Systematic Analysis of Planning Cultures: The 'culturised planning model': a tool to analyse the taken-for-granted routines and perceptions underlying planning practices; Conclusions: reflections on the culturised planning model; References; Index.