ABSTRACT
Planning theory is a term that strikes terror in the hearts of many planners; it conjures up images of esoteric word games played by planning educators who have little knowledge of what practicing planners actually do. Within academia, planning theory is marginalized; within practice, it is virtually ignored. The theory-practice gap is hardly unique to the planning profession; in fact, that most disciplines experience tension between their practice and theory-building wings. However wide the gap between theory and practice sometimes appears to be, it would be highly erroneous to conclude that planning theory and planning practice are ultimately irrelevant to one another. Much planning theory talk occurs within the theory community—that is, among theorists who are communicating their ideas to others who share their interests. Planning theory is much more about helping planners to see themselves and what they do than it is about providing prescriptions.
