Public Values and Private Interests

Public Values and Private Interests tackles ethical/value dilemmas in planning theory and practice. The last two decades have witnessed profound change in the practice of planning and the theories underpinning the activity have been in a state of flux. The 1980s and 1990s saw a reconfiguration of the relationships between the state, society and the individual under the prevailing neo-liberal agenda. This had important implications for planning not only in terms of what its role should be but also for the organisational framework within which it is embedded. These changes have given rise to significant ethical dilemmas for planning both at the level of everyday practice also, more seriously, for the legitimisation of the activity at the state/society level. This book examines these ethical dilemmas. The central argument of the book is the belief in the importance of restoring a sense of collective value in responding to the problems which our regions, cities and local environments present to us.