Episode Details

Urban planning is often presented as a technical exercise, but at its core it is a political act—one that decides who benefits from city life and who bears its costs. From exclusionary zoning and racially restrictive covenants to modern debates over gentrification, planning has long reflected the interests and power of those able to shape it. In this episode, we explore how planning evolved from informal private controls to formal zoning systems, why reformers pushed for advocacy and equity planning, and how today’s cities are grappling with demands for inclusion and participation. The story reveals that streets, neighborhoods, and skylines are never neutral—and that understanding whose voices count is essential to understanding how cities are made.

Abbott, Carl, 'Contested communities', City Planning: A Very Short Introduction, Very Short Introductions (New York, 2020; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Oct. 2020), https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780190944346.003.0005