Formal/Informal Dialectics and the Self-Transformation of Spatial Planning Systems

Assche, Kristof Van; Beunen, Raoul; Duineveld, Martijn

doi:10.1177/0095399712469194

Cited by 60 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…However, many, if not all, planning practices are not purely formal or informal, but the result of both types of (spatial) coordination (Healey, 2006;Van Assche et al, 2012). This paper explores how a combination of insights in formal and informal planning practices, in relation to the ways in which governments and communities plan, complements our understandings of spatial planning.…”

Section: "The Insights That These Studies Have Provided About the Relmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This vacuum is subject to informal planning practices: other actors than governments start to coordinate their spatial organization in informal ways. In this respect, Van Assche et al (2012) Institutions provide the rules of the game, which eventually (in case of spatial planning) result into concrete planning practices. North (1990) distinguishes formal and informal institutions as follows: "On the one hand formal institutions involve written rules, political and economical rules, laws and contracts".…”

Section: The Dialectic Of Formal and Informal Planning Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…North (1990) underlines that this distinction is not exhaustive or static. What starts as an informal institution can be become a formalized institution over time: a rationalization of what used to be an informal daily routine (Van Assche et al, 2012). Formal institutions, on the other hand, are interpreted, used, selected, combined and produced in ways that differ from the original set of procedures, plans or even laws (Van Dijk and Beunen, 2009).…”

Section: The Dialectic Of Formal and Informal Planning Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The formal side of planning is generally associated with the governance of territory, based on a set of laws and governmental rules and regulations. The informal side of planning refers to spatial coordination of activities performed at a local level, based on unwritten laws, social networks and trust (Van Assche et al, 2012). Traditionally, planning studies focus on the formal side of planning, foregrounding the role of governments and more technical solutions for an improvement of living circumstances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the moment the theoretical concept of informal planning practices hardly travels beyond the studies performed in the Global South. As Van Assche et al (2012) state:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Planning practices in Galicia: How communities compensate the lack of statutory planning using bottom up planning initiatives

Meijer¹,

Díaz-Varela²,

Cardín-Pedrosa³

2015

Span j rural dev

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Short title: Formal and Informal Planning Practices in GaliciaPlanning practices performed by non-governmental actors are often not considered as part the spatial planning domain. Spatial planning is generally associated with governmental activity: coordination that is aimed at a formal regulation of land uses and distribution of public goods. Nevertheless, the influence of other actors, like communities, is becoming increasingly important in planning studies. In this paper we argue that planning practices performed by local communities do deliver an important contribution to the improvement of local living circumstances. From the perspective of dialectics we explore how planning practices performed by communities and governments evolve and continuously shape and reshape the performance of spatial planning. These processes are studied qualitatively in rural Galicia, an Autonomous Region in North-Western Spain. Here we studied how two local communities developed and implemented their own plans for local public services and economic development. These two cases were studied in-depth through interviews with involved community members and field visits. Case study results show that a comprehensive recognition of dialectics is necessary to understand how a spatial organization is shaped. Without this understanding it is difficult to value the contribution of planning practices performed by communities to a better spatial organization.

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Section: "The Insights That These Studies Have Provided About the Relmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Dialectic Of Formal and Informal Planning Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Dialectic Of Formal and Informal Planning Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the moment the theoretical concept of informal planning practices hardly travels beyond the studies performed in the Global South. As Van Assche et al (2012) state:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Planning practices in Galicia: How communities compensate the lack of statutory planning using bottom up planning initiatives

Meijer¹,

Díaz-Varela²,

Cardín-Pedrosa³

2015

Span j rural dev

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Low Carbon Governance: Mobilizing Community Energy through Top‐Down Support?

Markantoni

2016

Env Pol Gov

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Community energy makes an important contribution to sustainable energy generation, reduction and management, and is a desirable feature of a low carbon future. Renewable community energy is increasingly gaining momentum even in the centralized UK energy market. The challenge of low carbon transitions is faced by multiple territorial governments, and requires inclusive governance arrangements in which a combination of actors work together to implement community strategies towards a climate-resilient future. Low carbon governance is a multi-level and (co-)evolving process, especially in the complex interactions between actors of the core, inner periphery and civil periphery. The devolution of power within the UK has enabled Scotland to establish an ambitious policy agenda for renewable energy. By exploring an established national community energy programme, this study examines the interplay among different actors and looks into how multi-level governance can be strengthened. This paper combines multi-level and evolutionary governance theory to understand the extent to which top-down initiatives facilitate community renewable energy projects and help drive wider system transformations. It concludes that in an evolving policy environment, top-down support for community energy is a necessary motivator. This requires the state to play a dominant role in directing low carbon transitions, while acting in concert with non-state, local and regional actors. If communities are to benefit from energy transitions, wider policies must be aligned with community needs, otherwise community energy will be pushed to the margins of the next energy revolution.

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Mapping stakeholders and identifying institutional challenges and opportunities for waste management in towns of Uttar Pradesh, India

Patel

2022

Env Pol Gov

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The extensive research on waste management has primarily remained confined to metro cities and focused on economic and environmental issues. The present study explores waste management in smaller urban areas from an institutional standpoint, mapping formal and informal players onto a two‐dimensional framework: institutional type and institutional strength. The analysis is based on data accumulated through in‐depth interviews and focus group discussions in three towns of India. Despite the absence of formal acknowledgment, it establishes a continuum between formal and informal actors whose efforts to collect waste and provide public goods and services are mutually supportive. Although the informal sector is ranked lower, there is little variation in institutional strength between the formal and informal sectors. A formal‐informal hierarchy hinders informal waste collectors from moving up the value chain. The paper argues against separating the formal and informal actors in urban policy and planning. A waste management system that is formally integrated is required to extract greater economic value from waste and to strengthen the informal‐formal continuum. This should enhance both the wages and working conditions of waste workers.

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Formal/Informal Dialectics and the Self-Transformation of Spatial Planning Systems

Cited by 60 publications

References 90 publications

Planning practices in Galicia: How communities compensate the lack of statutory planning using bottom up planning initiatives

Planning practices in Galicia: How communities compensate the lack of statutory planning using bottom up planning initiatives

Low Carbon Governance: Mobilizing Community Energy through Top‐Down Support?

Mapping stakeholders and identifying institutional challenges and opportunities for waste management in towns of Uttar Pradesh, India

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