The Role of Planning and the Role of Planners: Political Dimensions, Ethical Principles, Communicative Interaction

In the planning debate, a certain confusion concerning some matters is caused by the fact that the role of planning (as an institutional activity) and the role of planners (as professionals) are not always clearly distinguished from each other. Reasoning and discussion in this field quite often slide inadvertently and imperceptibly from one aspect to the other. The aim of this chapter is to clearly identify the role—function, duties, etc.—that planning (as an institutional technology) and planners (as professionals) may have. Three main issues have been chosen to show the importance of the underscored distinction between planning and planners. They concern the political dimension; ethical obligations; communicative processes.