Reconstruction, explication, and further developement of the paradigm of open space planning into a research program with a transdisciplinary focus on life chances

• Applicant: Dr. Karsten Berr
• Subject Area: City Planning, Spatial Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, Landscape Planning
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 522824061

In view of the social relevance of open space planning, the central research interest is to develop a modified multiperspectival framing of the social science paradigm of open space planning, which is normatively oriented towards the concept of enabling life chances according to Ralf Dahrendorf and thereby also takes gender and diversity aspects into account (which are already included in the life chances concept). For this purpose, the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the paradigm are to be reconstructed in an analyzing way, to be explicated, and thereby to be further developed in a modifying way. From these objectives, four basic tasks are derived for the planned research project: 1) Basic research in the theory of science for the (meta-)theoretical or multi-perspectival framing of the paradigm of open space planning in the sense of a research program, for the lifeworld-oriented constitutional theoretical foundation with the help of methodological culturalism and social constructivism, as well as for the modified action- and culture-theoretical foundation. 2) Basic theoretical reconstruction, explication and further development of the 'core' of the research program Open Space Planning. The basic concepts and theories of the research program will be reformulated according to the guideline of Dahrendorf's concept of life chances in order to maintain the emancipatory 'core' (extended also by gender and diversity aspects) as a basic concern of open space planning, to keep it theoretically capable for the present and the future, and to make it practicable. 3) Empirical basic research: In order to contribute to progress in the practical problem-solving ability of open space planning under the guiding principle of the life chances concept, and in order for the life chances concept to have an impact in the context of open space planning, the resonance and significance of open spaces and their planning in public, planning and political discourse must be investigated and taken into account. Without this consideration, options for action can descend into an often unrealistic 'presumption of ought' or 'normativistic fallacy'. 4) Inter- and transdisciplinary orientation: The findings and results obtained are made accessible to a broad specialist audience through suitable publications. In order to be able to mediate between science and practice in a targeted manner, a transdisciplinary perspective is adopted. This includes, for example, two transdisciplinarily organized workshops and the analysis of a concrete case study on which the results in theory and practice are transdisciplinarily tested.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Olaf Kühne