Planning is described as being increasingly sidelined by the impacts of neo-liberal restructuring. At the same time, 'culture' is nowadays seen as the world's key intellectual resource possessing new creative weight in sociological, economic and environmental terms. This book argues that, in the light of this cultural turn, there is the opportunity to re-position planning and proposes an original, practical and robust system of 'culturisation'. Culturisation is defined as the ethical, critical and reflexive integration of culture into planning and potentially other areas such as public administration, corporate strategy and development thinking. Cultural theory, planning theory, global governance policy and recent, innovative culturised practices are all explored to this end. The new theoretical and practical approach put forward shows how deeper, richer and more relevant ideas about culture can be utilized in planning, and is illustrated with international examples and two major case studies detailing new vistas for a refurbished planning.

'Greg Young's achievements are to be welcomed for showing how culture can be used to reformulate a more responsive planning system. The book reaches out to both theoreticians and practitioners, representing the author's experience drawing on Sydney and other cities, and his capacity to make perceptive connections with contemporary urban theorists.' Ronan Paddison, University of Glasgow, UK '...a significant contribution to the field...should be read by all planning theorists interested in exploring the boundaries of planning literature and practice.' Australian Planner

Dr Greg Young, Research Fellow at the Centre for Cultural Research, University of Western Sydney, australia.