[Tps] Planning Cultures in Europe: Conference Announcement

[FrankFchr at aol.com]

International  Symposium, 28th – 29th of June 2007 in Hamburg 
Planning  Cultures in Europe 
Exploring  Cultural Differences as Resources and Restrictions for 
Interregional  Cooperation 
Objectives  and Intention 
Spatial development and planning cultures are gaining more and more  
importance in an European context. Globalisation and Europeanization have led to  a 
repositioning of European cities and regions from an exclusively national to a  
Europe-wide context of projects, priorities, administrative patterns and  
legislation.  
But despite international planning processes and documents as the  European 
Spatial Development Perspectives (ESDP) and the Territorial Agenda,  numerous 
INTERREG and ESPON projects make obvious that the term planning, with  
reference to urban and regional planning and development, is differently  understood 
in European countries. Dependent on the particular perception of  urban and 
regional planning the French term aménagement du territoire, the German 
Raumordnung, the Dutch Ruimtelijke Ordening and the Spanish urbanismo, due to different 
cultural  contexts, not necessarily share the same understanding of planning 
or pursue  compatible objectives, strategies and instruments. 
Planning  systems and traditions, development processes, planning concepts 
and decisions  always are influenced by different cultural contexts and the 
cultural  background of (groups of) people and society. These  cultural 
differences can be seen as obstacle to realize genuine cross-border,  trans-national and 
interregional co-operation (e.g. INTERREG).  Different perception and meaning 
of space and different understandings of  planning, planning systems and 
processes complicate the co-operation between  different actors. Even within a 
national context there are many cultural  differences between regions. Especially 
in international projects there can be a  great contrast in terms of planning 
traditions and decision-making between  co-operating countries and regions. 
Ideally spatial planning includes a sense of  meaning of cultural identities, 
and plans and programs integrate cultural  differences. If not, the cultural 
differences can lead to misunderstandings  between the participating actors and 
can slow down the building of real and  intensive co-operation. This 
eventually can lead to failure in developing and  implementing spatial planning 
projects. 
But  cultural differences are also a resource for collaborative planning and  
development processes that are inspired by cultural variety. A better  
understanding of the cultural contexts influencing planning cultures and the  
management of international planning projects can enrich and stimulate public  
debate and promote a further exchange of knowledge and opinions on the issues  
which are considered important for the economic and social cohesion of the  
European Union.  
It is the  intention of the International Symposium to analyse and to explore 
the cultural  background of planning in Europe. Therefore,  the Symposium is 
focusing on  cultural variety and cultural differences regarding the specific 
occurrence of  urban and regional planning and development. The aim is to 
encourage the  analysis of the relations between different perceptions and 
meanings of space,  specific planning traditions and philosophies, societal rules and 
 values. 
The  broad theme of the International Symposium is “Planning Culture in 
Europe – Exploring  Cultural Differences as Resources and Restrictions for 
Interregional  Cooperation”. Papers  are invited to approach to Planning Cultures at 
all aspects of urban, regional  and community planning and development, but 
they should guarantee an  international or a comparative perspective. 
Particularly welcome are papers  dealing with the following levels of planning  culture:
Planning System: Organisation, judicial and administrative  structures 
-        Political structures of planning (state traditions and state  forms) 
-        Administrative structures of planning 
-        Social and political institutions 
-        Organisational structures of urban and regional  planning 
Tasks and objects  of planning, respectively their perception 
-        Traditions and  history of planning (topics, roles, and 
methodologies) 
-        Planning phases  (Historical context) 
-        Planning theory 
-        Complexity of  tasks 
-        Comprehensive  planning vs. planning by projects 
-        Cooperation among  actors 
-        Urban and regional  governance 
Underlying aspects of planning culture: Influences of fundamental  beliefs, 
values, and orientations 
-        Relation between  societal culture (culture  as a general product of 
society, e.g. modes of political life) and planning  culture 
-        Generally accepted values (religious aspects, cultural identity,  
philosophy of life) and planning culture 
-        Role  and acceptance of communication (verbal and non-verbal 
symbols) and planning  culture 
Call  for papers 
The Call for Papers for the International Symposium addresses both  
experienced scientists and practitioners in the field of European Planning  Cultures.  
The Call for Papers invites participants to look at the subject of  European 
Planning cultures. The Papers should contain the topics outlined, but  can 
also deal with connected topics falling within the scope of the symposium.  The 
contributions should comprise planning cultures of individual local  
authorities up to planning cultures on the national or European level. The  papers can 
approach the outlined topics via the different perceptions of Spatial  
Sciences, Urban and Regional Planning, Geography, Economics, Law, Political or  Social 
Sciences. The contributions can include theoretical, empirical,  analytical 
or strategic approaches but they should guarantee an international or  a 
comparative perspective.  
Each participant will only be allowed to submit one  paper. 
The Call for Papers also is available as pdf-file  here. 
Language 
The official language of the symposium is  English. 
How to submit a paper 
The submission of papers bases on a two-step procedure.   
First, an abstract (short summary of your contribution) must be  submitted. 
Abstracts (not longer than 2 pages) should clearly state the purpose,  
methodology, results and conclusions of the work to be described in the final  paper. 
For submission please send your abstract and a short outline of your CV  (1 
page) as PDF file via email to frank.othengrafen at hcu-hamburg.de or to  
athanasios.papaioannou at hcu-hamburg.de. 
The deadline for submitting an abstract is March 20th  2007. 
Second, the advisory committee (chaired by Prof. Dr. Joerg Knieling,  
HafenCity University  Hamburg) will select contributions  from the received 
applications (abstracts) and will inform the relevant authors  by a notification of 
acceptance before April 15th 2007. These  authors will be invited to develop a 
full-length paper for the International  Symposium “Planning Cultures in Europe”
 in Hamburg. 
The  final paper should not exceed 8.000 words (about twenty pages) and must 
be  submitted before June 15th  2007 via email to 
frank.othengrafen at hcu-hamburg.de  or to athanasios.papaioannou at hcu-hamburg.de.  The authors of the 
full-length paper will present their papers at the  International Symposium at 28th 
and 29th of June  2007. 
Authors  uncertain whether their submission meets the guidelines or topics of 
the  conference should contact frank.othengrafen at hcu-hamburg.de  or 
athanasios.papaioannou at hcu-hamburg.de. 
Award  and Publishing of prize-winning papers 
A  prize will be awarded to the best papers presented at the International  
Symposium. The author of the first prize will receive € 500. A second prize in  
the amount of € 300 will also be awarded. In case of multiple first or second 
 prize winning papers, the prizes will be divided equally among the  authors. 
It  is intended to publish the best papers  (final version). Because  the 
papers will be subject to standard review procedures, publication is not  
guaranteed. 
For  further information, please do not hesitate to contact  us: 
HafenCity  University Hamburg
Department of Urban Planning
Institute for Urban-,  Regional and Environmental Planning
D - 21073 Hamburg 
Prof.  Dr. Joerg Knieling M.A. (Head of Institute)
Dipl.-Ing. Frank  Othengrafen
Dipl.-Ing. Athanasios Papaioannou 
tel:  +49 40 42878-3209
fax: +49 40 42878-2580 
frank.othengrafen at hcu-hamburg.de
athanasios.papaioannou at hcu-hamburg.de 
www.hcu-hamburg.de
www.hcu-hamburg.de/stadtplanung 




   
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