Review of Klemek (2011)

My review of Chris Klemek’s book has just been published in the April issue of the American Historical Review:

Christopher Klemek: The Transatlantic Collapse of Urban Renewal. Postwar Urbanism from New York to Berlin, Chicago 2011, in: American Historical Review 117 (2012), 496-497.

JAPA on Public Housing

The Journal of the American Planning Association will publish a special issue on Public Housing in the US, explicitly including a historical perspective. Deadline for proposals for articles is Sept. 15. I am looking forward to reading the results scheduled for publication in 2012.

Discussing Jane Jacobs and “Great Ideas”

At the “Queen Jane Jacobs” conference in Hamburg. What is it with planning history that it is so much about “great ideas”? I understand and accept that the ideas of intellectuals and important planners have some relevance, but also think it is necessary to look beyond (or more literally “below”) that and try to evaluate how “great ideas” related to implementation. Jacobs’ activism in New York during the 1960s might seem like a good starting point for this endeavor, but I still don’t see it done as consistently as it might be. It will be interesting to hear tomorrow’s talks.

Journal of Planning History Feb 2011

Reading through the last issue of the Journal of Planning History (February 2011) on universities and their role in urban development. An inspiring set of articles, with a focus on 1960s students movements and how these changed the relationship between universities and local communities. It’s worth reading, even though I am still desperately waiting for an article on students of urban planning and architecture in the 1960s.

Article on Counter-Planning Completed

The last couple of weeks were a bit “dull” - just been writing every day. But now a new article on counter-planning in the 1960s and 1970s is completed and reads quite well. I have tried to analyze the phenomenon in relation to how planning theory relates to locality - an important issue in my opinion. I hope the referees of the Journal of Planning History will think the same.

Thinking About A Convincing Starting Point

Trying to get a grip on the new article on the importance of the local context for the development of urban planning theories. It’s not easy: I am looking for a balance between sticking to examples too narrowly and generalizing too much. Still have until the end of April to finish this - but then again with all the other business that’s not all that much time.

To Hamburg for “Queen Jane Jacobs”

Received an invitation to present a paper at the upcoming conference organized by Dirk Schubert: “’Queen Jane Jacobs’ - Jane Jacobs and paradigm shifts in urban planning and urban redevelopment” (May 12/13 2011, Hamburg). Saw the list of participants and am looking forward to seeing some colleagues again, especially Chris Klemek who had given me some valuable advise at the beginning of my dissertation and who I haven’t seen since 2007.

With my presentation I want to contribute an critical assessment of the custom to write planning history through analyzing the work of (important) individuals. That is why I will be putting Jacobs impulse into context. The title of the presentation is: “How Much Did Paradigms Shift? Continuities of Participation in US-Cities, 1955-1975.”