Critical realism, and urban and regional studies

Abstract

Critical realism as a philosphy of science has received some renewed attention, particularly with applications in urban and regional studies. The debates on planning theory in the 1970s and 1980s set a backdrop against which the relevance of critical realism for urban and regional planning may be seen. Elements of a realist critique of planning philosophy, theory, and methodology were asserted. Yet, until recently, critical realism has received scant attention in planning research, compared with the attention it has received in geographical research. In this paper a brief exposition of critical realism as a method of social research is given, with examples of applications in urban and regional contexts. The paper is concluded with a discussion of the implications of critical realism for urban and regional planning theory. -Author

Publication Title

Environment & Planning B: Planning & Design

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS