Addressing disciplinary, and academic and practitioner divides in thinking on the city: the case of the ekistics model in the development of planning theory and urban studies

Abstract

This paper starts by introducing the ekistics model of human settlements in terms of its interdisciplinary approach to thinking on the city, and its advocating research as the link between the academic and practitioner divide. By means of a literature review of scientific journals, the ekistics model is shown to be weakly positioned in the development of planning theory and practice. The paper goes on to address the extent to which the broader field of urban studies has drawn on a number of the underlying principles of the ekistics model. It is argued that while land use planning practice has been restricted in its ability to adopt the progressive aspects of the ekistic model, the integrated approach advocated by Doxiadis’ science of human settlements resonates with the work of scholars in the diverse disciplines comprising the field of urban studies, and finds echos in approaches used in a sample of current urban development projects.