POSTMODERN THEORY

Contemporary Theory Planning-MBEW1033

Team By
ANNISA ARIYANTI (MBE181064)
SUMAIA IBRAHIM (MBE191047)

Assessed By
DR NAFISA HOSNI
Epoch of Modernity Modernity
Industrial Revolution .
Post-Modernity
Period of mass media

Modernism describes a collection of cultural

movements of the late Eighties until middle of
nineties century. It consists of a series of reforming Early Modernity
Renaissance to Industrial Revolution
movements in art, architecture, literature, music,
and applied arts. It was characterized by a
dramatic change of thought, whereby human
intellect sought to improve their environment. There
was a trend of improving every aspect of life by
involving science and technology into it. Modernism
brought about a reform in all spheres of life
including philosophy, commerce, art, and literature,
with the aid of technology and experimentation. It
led to progress in many spheres of life by changing
the approach of humankind towards them.
The Modern Era ended when, on 15th July 1972,
the Pruitt-Igoe housing estate in St Louis (USA)

Charles Jencks ( 1 991, p . 23), the modern era ended when, on 15 July 1 972, the Pruitt-Igoe housing estate in St
Louis (USA) - which had earlier won an award as an exemplar of modern architecture and town planning - was
dynamited and destroyed by the local city authority. However, from the late 1960s onwards the rejection of modernism
became stronger and more widespread and developed into the movement now
called postmodernism.
Postmodernism
Postmodernism means, 'after the modern’. It was a reaction to
modernism and was influenced by the disenchantment brought
about by the Second World War. Postmodernism refers to the
state that lacks a central hierarchy and one that is complex,
ambiguous, and diverse. The developments in society, economy,
and culture of the 1960s were impacted by postmodernism.
Modernism VS Postmodernism

Modernism Postmodernism
 Postmodernism began after the
 Modernism began in the 1890s and
Second World War, especially after
lasted till about 1945.
1968
 Low forms of art were a part of
 Postmodern art brought high and low
modernism. Simplicity and elegance in
culture together by using industrial
design are the characteristics of
materials and popculture imagery.
modern art.
Postmodern art is decorative.
 Postmodernism denied the application
 Modernism was based on using rational VS of logical thinking. Rather, the thinking
and logical means to gain knowledge. It
during the postmodern era was based
rejected realism. A hierarchical,
on an unscientific, irrational thought
organized, and determinate nature of
process, as a reaction to modernism.
knowledge characterized modernism.
 Postmodernists believe in
 Modernism is based on European and
multiculturalism.
Western thought.
 Postmodernism was based on an
anarchical, non-totalized, and
 Modernist approach was objective,
indeterminate state of knowledge.
theoretical, and analytical.
 Postmodernist thinkers believe that
 Modernist thinking is about the search
there is no universal truth, abstract or
of an abstract truth of life. otherwise.

.
 Modernism
 Modernism attempts to construct a
coherent world-view.
 Modernist thinking asserts that mankind
progresses by using science and
reason. It believes in learning from past
experiences and trusts the texts that
narrate the past.
 Modernist historians believe in depth.
They believe in going deep into a
subject to fully analyze it.
VS
 Modernism considers the original works
as authentic.
 Planning:
1-Cities planned in totality.
2-Space shaped for social ends.
. Spatial ‘fragments’
Postmodernism
 Postmodernism attempts to remove the
difference between high and low.
 Postmodernists believe that progress is
the only way to justify the European
domination on culture. They defy any
truth in the text narrating the past and
render it of no use in the present times.
 Postmodernist thinkers believe in going
by superficial appearances, they
believe in playing on surfaces and show
less or no concern towards the depth of
subjects.
 Postmodernist thinkers base their views
on hyper-reality; they get highly
influenced by things propagated
through media.
 Planning:
designed for aesthetic
rather than social ends
Introduction
To some, postmodern thinking is anathema. Harper
and Stein (1995, p. 233), for example, claim that
following a postmodern route for planning would
‘bring us to the edge of an abyss of
indeterminacy, impairing our ability to maintain
social continuity through change, to treat each other
in a just and fully human way, and to justify public
planning’.
Modern
Modernism is closely linked to a period generally
termed The Enlightenment.

The Enlightenment is a complex mix of idea, attitudes,

sensibilities and so forth that broadly emerged at the
beginning of the eighteen century that sought a

Rational form of social organization and rational

modes of thought which promised liberation from
the irrationalities of myth, religion, superstition,
release from the arbitrary use of power as well as
from the dark side of our human nature. (Harvey,
1990, p. 12)
One central aim of the Enligtenment was the idea of liberty throught knowledge.
The human condition could be improved through the certain tenets principles including
(Hamilton, 1992, p. 21)

 Reason
 Empiricism
 Science
 Universalism
 Progress
 Individualism
 Tolerance
 Freedom
 Uniformity of human nature
 Secularism

These factor provided the building blocks of modernity-a board movement that has sought to advance these
idea and has led to certain distinct characteristics of society in what has become known as the modern era.
Postmodern Planning
Post
later or after
Modern
(only before noun) of the present time or recent times

BARRY GOODCHILD. Postmodernism is a rejection

of totality - whether in the large-scale solutions
favoured by comprehensive planning, whether in the
aesthetics of standardisation favoured by modern
architecture or whether in trends towards economic
concentration.
Postmodern and Planning

01
Postmodernism as a style
Postmodernism represented a reaction against the
styles of art and design which had been promoted by
the modern movement. Postmodernists rejected the
pared-down simplicity of modern 'functional'
architecture, and so sought to 'bring back style' to
enrich the aesthetic content of contemporary
buildings.
02
Postmodernism as a challenge to science and reason
The modernist faith in reason and science had its roots
in the European Enlightenment of the eighteenth century.
What Habermas ( 1 9 8 1 ) has called the 'project' of
modernity was really a technological development of the
Enlightenment, and the idea that cities could be made
better by rational thought and action - by 'planning' - was
thus part of this project. The postmodern critique
therefore brings into question the Enlightenment
assumption that the deficiencies of cities and our
environment generally can be made better by planned
action.
03
Postmodernism as an alternative normative view of the quality of life
Postmodernism, however, does not just question certain styles but posits
some alternative values of a more general kind - an alternative view, in
fact, of the quality of life. These alternative values bring into question
many of the values and normative principles which have informed town
planning in the modern age, and it is from this point of view that
postmodernism presents a case for the serious reconsideration of the
purposes of town planning.
Postmodern as Epoch and Social Theory
Postmodern as epoch concering the changing nature of economic
production and organisation as well as the shift away from a
society based on producing ‘thing’ such as cars or fridges to one
based increasing information.

One of main approaches to dissecting modern society through an analysis of information and its impact upon society.

Computer and Telecommunication

Significant changes in the economic base of society
and in particular the shift from predominantly Internet and Digital
manufacturing-based to service-oriented
economies. . Technology

1960s 1970s 1980s Early 1990s

Webster (1995) has identified five dimensions to the idea of an information society:
Technological
Refers to the massive technological
changes that have occured in the past
30years and their impact upon of society
Spatial
The organization of time and space
have been equally affected by the
emergence of an information society.
Economic Occupational
Concern itself with the size and growth Another motor to the information society
of information industries and seeks to is thesis is the change in accupations
measure its contribution to GNP. largely from manufacturing work to
service orientated employment.
Cultural
The signification of the explosion in
culture and media through television,
PCs, personal communication, etc. that
herald the emergence of an ‘information
society’..
Postmodern as Social Theory
Many of the central thinkers in postmodern
social theory emerged from this period
disillusioned with Marxist thinking and in
particular its monolithic analysis and
prescriptions and instead turned their attention
to the need to focus on and release difference.
Is planning modern or postmodern?
The implication is of a potential and real mismatch
between planning as a modern project and the
needs and demands of the postmodern or new times
that, according to the proponents of this theory
explains the lack of participation and democratic
content, failed and unrealized results and
expectations urban decay, and a host of other
outcomes intended or not that characterize
'planning.
Sanderock goes on identify five pillars of modernist planning wisdom:
01
Planning meaning city
and regional planning - is
concerned with making
public/political decisions
more rational. The focus,
therefore, is
predominantly on
advanced decision
making: on developing
visions of the future; and
on an instrumental
rationality that carefully
considers and evaluates
options and alternatives
02 03 04 05
Planning is most effective Planning is both a science Planning. as part of the Planning operates in 'the
when it is comprehensive. and an art, based on modernization project, is a public interest and
Comprehen-siveness is experience, but the project of state- directed planners' education
written into planning emphasis is usually placed futures, with the state seen privileges them in being
legislation and refers to on the science. Planners' as possessing progressive, able to identify what that
multifunctional/multisectora authority derives in large reformist tendencies, and as interest is. Planners
l spatial plans as well as to measure from a mastery of being separate from the present a public image of
the intersection of theory and methods in the economy. . neutrality, and planning
economic, social and social sciences. Planning policies, based on
environmental and physical knowledge and expertise are positivist science, are
planning, The planning thus grounded in positive gender and race-neutral
function is therefore said to science, with its propensity (Sandercock, 1998).
be integrative, coordinative, for quantitative modelling
and hierarchical. and analysis.
These pillars need to be demolished according to Sanderock because of
the recent processes of change that point to a more diverse composition of
the urban and increasing demand for a more heterogenous planning
approach.

The problems with this view are:

*First: it separates theory from practice
*Second: concerns the ways in which planning is portrayed as modernist
by postmodernists
Toward a Postmodern Theory?
Acknowledging that planning has both modern and postmodern elements does not bring us any closer
to setting out how a postmodern planning could be approached,because of the difficulty in ascribing
any agreed meaning to what the postmodern is ?

There is also a critical and uninformed school of thought that reject the notion of even entertaining
postmodern thinking as a basis for planning.
Nevertheless, there have been attempts are developing postmodern forms of planning; such attempts
falling broadly into two categories, First are those that seek to critique planning from a postmodern
perspective and in doing so provide a postmodern basis for planning largely by default. Second are
those approaches that take a more direct route and seek to develop a framework for a postmodern
planning.

Yiftachel (1994, 1998, 2000), for example, has explored the ways in which planning can and does
have an impact on this minimization of peripheral cultures no by creating settlement patterns,
dispersing or concentrating certain populations, placing communal, religious or ethnic facilities,
housing and services particular places, and governing the character and norms of urban public places.
Planning has the potential to oppress subordinate groups and is structurally devised to
exert control and oppression.
Anti-progressive planning can take four forms:
Territorial Plans and
policies determine land
use that can be used to
control weaker groups and
minorities in such deeply
divided societies. This can
be achieved through
allowing members of the
majority group to settle
there thereby altering the
cultural homogeneity of the
area. Further, territorial
segregation according to
class, race and/or can be
achieved through land use
policies that maintain
distinctions
Procedures Planning can Socio-economic dimension
directly affect power Culture Yiftache, claims
This is a longer term impact
relations through its of the darker side of planning that a core culture within a
communicative nature. city or nation state is
which results in both positive
Thereby can be used for and negative distriburional usually favoured over
exclusion of groups or changes. Yiftachel has in minority cultures thereby
minorities reinforcing or mind here the mainly forming another method of
extending existing monetary impacts of planning social and ethnic control.
exclusion or repression. such as land price rises due
to development of a road
thereby improving
accessibility. Planning can
therefore be used as a form
of socio-economic control
and domination by helping to
maintain and even widen
socio-economic gaps through
the location of development
costs
The concept of postmodern planning lie warnings concerning
the possible anti-progressive or less-desirable elements of the
postmodern such as relativism. Norwithstanding such warnings.
Soja goes on to advance some more specific principles that
would underpin a more postmodern planning.

First, any new postmodern planning theory must build upon

openness and flexibility and be suspicious of any attempt to
formalise a single totalising way of knowing Second, openness
should be used as a basis for to be understanding and
encouraging social reality including fragmentation multiplicity
and difference.

The second attempt to develop for a postmodern planning has

been advanced by rcock's Towards Cosmopolis (1998).
Postmodern is through diversity and, specifically, ethnic and
racial tolerance. For her should work towards a more plural and
diverse society
 Sandercock identifies five principles that are, The minimum foundations necessary to create a new
order of urban civility of the current new world disorder, and link these to debates about urban
governance and planning' (1998)
1- social justice :
The problem of current
conceptions of social justice
is that they are equated with
market outcomes.
Sandercock that a broader
definition of injustice and/or
inequality is required that is
not limited to the material
and/or economic realm
Gender studies and feminist
critiques have provided an
alternative approach that links
injustice with oppression and
domination Oppression is
particularly relevant in the
forms of cultural imperialism
and violence against
increasing diversity in the new
world disorder.
2. The polities of difference:
Having identified the problem,
the answer Sandercock
proposes lies in an improved
politics of difference based on
an inclusionary commitment
through discussion. Such a
discursive commitment would
emphasise the positive
aspects of difference.
Concerns over group unity
and the focus of such on a
proposal or immediate or
local issues in such an
'identity politics is raised and
addressed by Sandercock.
3. Citizenship:
Building on the inclusionary
5.From public interest to a
ethic the next principle of a
4. The ideal of community: civie culture:
postmodern city concerns the
Building on the individually- Modernist planning is based
question of citizenship. The
orientated concept of on the vague and unified
auslander status of many
citizenship, Sandercock goes notion of the 'public interest
citizens in increasingly
on to argue for a reformed how does this relate to a
fragmented societies requires
The ideal of communily postmodern planning
a more fluid conception of
conception of community. concerned with difference
citizenship that constantly
Communities have Implicit in the notion of the
Buildingreinterprets and
traditionally been school public interest is a split
refines what is meant by the
associated with either between planner and planned
term, rejecung homogenising
territorial exclusion (we're in the technical expert working
approaches that set out a
so you're (no or so vague as towards what are assumed to
priori what it is to be a citizen.
to be almost meaningless. be commonly agreed goals.
This assumes a high degree
of uniformity and sameness
within society all of which has
come unstuck with
postmodern critiques.
Conclusion
Theories of modernity and post modernity and
debatable and are carried over all aspects of our lives.
Planning sees these as a societal guidance which can
be interpreted in the urban planning. Although,
planning in itself has its own theories and trends
according to contextual setting, the overall indicators
and aspects of planning are very much linked with
Modern and post-modern themes. The risk society
and network society are outcomes of modernity and
show the human connection that has evolved over
time. As planners, there is a need to recognize these
social aspects, not just in the practice itself, but our
perception of the world as a whole.
References
Philip 2002, Planning Theory, Palgrave.
Nigel 1998, Urban Planning Theory Since 1945 , Sage Publications Ltd.
Simon 2012, The Postmodern, Routledge.
Abdulazim 2016, Postmodernism Theory, Universitas Putra Malaysia.
https://arthearty.com/difference-between-modernism-postmoernism