The Deliberative Practitioner: Encouraging Participatory Planning Processes

by John F. Forester

Citizen participation in such complex issues as the quality of the environment, neighborhood housing, urban design, and economic development often brings with it suspicion of government, anger between stakeholders, and power plays by many—as well as appeals to rational argument. Deliberative planning practice in these contexts takes political vision and pragmatic skill. Working from the accounts of practitioners in urban and rural settings, North and South, John Forester shows how skillful deliberative practices can facilitate practical and timely participatory planning processes. In so doing, he provides a window onto the wider world of democratic governance, participation, and practical decision-making. Integrating interpretation and theoretical insight with diverse accounts of practice, Forester draws on political science, law, philosophy, literature, and planning to explore the challenges and possibilities of deliberative practice.

322 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 1999

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like academic books written entirely for an academic audience, you'll love this. If you are looking for any prescriptive advice for how to be a mediator, this ain't the one for you. Tedious.