Urban and Regional Planning Series, Volume 5: A Reader in Planning Theory focuses on the approaches, methodologies, applications, and mechanics involved in planning theory. The selection first elaborates on a choice theory of planning, sociological considerations in the evaluation of planning, and British town planning. Discussions focus on social scientific research and town planning ideology, town planning as part of broader social policy, critics of traditional planning, value formulation, means identification, and effectuation. The text then examines comprehensive planning and social responsibility and building the middle-range bridge for comprehensive planning. The publication takes a look at the science of "muddling through", beyond the middle-range planning bridge, and goals of comprehensive planning. Topics include comprehensiveness and public interest, community development programming, non-comprehensive analysis, relations between means and ends, and successive comparisons as a system. The book also ponders on community decision behavior, a conceptual model for the analysis of planning behavior, and advocacy and pluralism in planning. The selection is a dependable reference for researchers interested in planning theory.
