PARADIGM SHIFT IN REGIONAL AND U AN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: THE CASE OF DEVELOPING THE SOUTH OF EGYPT

Developn~ent management of human settlements in developing countries
has gained planners' attention. Regional imbalances associate with urban
problems including environmental degradation, housing problems,
unen~ployment and the like. Different development approaches have
experienced limited effectiveness. The philosophical foundation of these
approaches and the decision-nlaking process are among the reasons for the
limited succcss. Today in the age of globalization, a new mode of capital
accunlulation associates with new modalities of thinking. This paper
presents the design of the project to articulate a Strategic Plan for the
Development of Human Settlements, South of Egypt, using post-modernist
p1,uming mode of thinking and a participatory decision-making process.
Postmodern planning en~phasizes a combination of instrumental and
communicative action directed by cmancipatoly interests where planning is
an enlightening social process. It offers a franlework that is suitable for the
dynamic nature of contemporary societal transfomiations. Postmodern
piamling offers new definitions for old problems thus presenting new
solutions that could be adequate in the coming millenium.