The Actor-Network Approach: Temporary Use in Planning Practice

Abstract

The research presented in this thesis study is a venture to explore the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and the opportunities it offers to planning. Scientific and theoretical literature form planning theory and other fields of study outside of planning demonstrate implications ANT embodies as an ontological and methodological approach, but the contribution of such nature to planning practice is still lacking. By beginning with the origins and the purpose of ANT, this thesis extends qualitative research examining its contributions to planning by breaking the primary research aim down into three sub-questions. The first part of the thesis addresses existing contribution from ANT to planning theory and practice. This framing facilitates the section part of the study that employs Case Study and Narrative methods to illustrate ANT in the practice-based context of Temporary Use. Through four illustrative narratives, the elements and principles of ANT such as actants, black boxes, translations, inscriptions and overarching Translation Processes are identified and coded. The information from the case study narratives based in the German cities of Wuppertal (NRW), Bremen (HB), the Canadian city of Vancouver (BC) and American city of Seattle (WA) are synthesized to draw new insights for planning practice and also contribute to existing planning theory. The study’s findings support ANT as a useful tool to planning include descriptions and process analyses of contingency that emerges in temporary use events. More importantly the applied theoretical research details the four examples that narrate co-emergence of actants that as an assemblage are decisive to resulting cases for contingency. Through each case for contingency is an improved understanding of the complex change on urban environments reflected in the practices through which planners respond.