There is no planning

What is it about?

If planning is a recognizable practice, there is no single "planning" practice; but there are diverse planning practices. At the most general/abstract level, there is (generic) "planning", which is recognizable just as cooking or writing are practices. Then there are recognized knowledge-based (epistemic) planning practices, each with its identified (epistemic) domain, e.g. spatial, urban, regional, environmental, strategic or social planning. Finally, there are recognizable enacted planning practices in their respective contexts - differing by level/scope, sector and country. This implies different kinds of planning theories: (generic) "planning" theories, and (something) planning theories for planning practice, e.g. spatial planning theories. Enacted/contextuated planning practices are the subjects of research and analysis for knowledge-based planning theories.

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Why is it important?

This view of planning contradicts mainstream planning theory, which prescribes general/abstract norms and roles for "planners".