Taking path dependence seriously: an historical institutionalist research agenda in planning history

TLDR

Historical institutionalism offers a robust framework for analyzing continuity and change in public policy, yet no systematic effort has incorporated it into planning history research. This paper outlines a historical institutionalist research agenda for planning history, proposing definitions of institutions, path dependence, critical junctures, and incremental change, reviewing recent HI literature, and framing research questions. The authors develop planning‑history‑relevant definitions of institutions, path dependence, critical junctures, and incremental change, review recent HI literature, and frame research questions. The conclusion explores the potential application of HI approaches to planning history and international comparative planning studies, and presents a research agenda.

Abstract

This paper outlines an historical institutionalist (HI) research agenda for planning history. HI approaches to the understanding of institutions, path dependence, positive feedback effects in public policy, and patterned processes of institutional change offer a robust theoretical framework and a valuable set of conceptual and analytic tools for the analysis of continuity and change in public policy. Yet, to date, there has been no systematic effort to incorporate historical institutionalism into planning history research. The body of the paper proposes planning history relevant definitions of institutions, path dependence, critical junctures, and incremental change processes, outlines recent HI literature applying and extending these concepts, and frames a number of research questions for planning history that these approaches suggest. A concluding section explores the potential application and leverage of HI approaches to the study of planning history and international comparative planning studies and outlines a research agenda.