Power of, on and in planning

This chapter reflects on the ways in which planning and power are intertwined. The reflection is based on a distinction between power in planning (power dynamics within the planning domain), power on planning (the influence of broader society on the planning system), and the power of planning (the impact planning has in society). We argue that a unique set of power relations, a unique configuration of this triad, shapes the possibilities for planning in a particular community. We further argue that the functioning of the three relations emerges in and must be understood in the context of governance, moreover that governance, to grasp the ever evolving and entwining power relations, has to be understood as evolving itself.