Encounters in Planning Thought creates an informed future perspective on the spatial planning field by looking at it through the eyes of those who have been at the coal face of planning’s scholarly institutionalisation. The book provides a topical insight into why and how 16 distinguished planners, as they matured and built their planning ideas over the last half-century, have done what and when. It brings together contributions from leading planning scholars from Europe, America, and beyond. Through these intellectual autobiographical essays, readers gain new insights into classic planning thoughts, on which the education of thousands of contemporary spatial planning scholars, students and practitioners is and was based. There is no other publication that comes close to including such a wide array of personal information from quintessential voices in spatial planning.

Encounters in Planning Thought builds on the intellectual legacy of spatial planning through essays by leading scholars from around the world, including John Friedmann, Peter Marcuse, Patsy Healey, Andreas Faludi, Judith Innes, Rachelle Alterman and many more. Each author provides a fascinating and inspiring unravelling of his or her own intellectual journey in the context of events, political and economic forces, and prevailing ideas and practices, as well as their own personal lives.

This is crucial reading for those interested in spatial planning, including those studying the theory and history of spatial planning. Encounters in Planning Thought sets out a comprehensive, intellectual, institutional and practical agenda for the discipline of spatial planning as it heads towards its next half-century. Together, the essays form a solid base on which to understand the most salient elements to be taken forward by current and future generations of spatial planners.