Territory, Economy, Society and Institutions in Transition: Keynote Speech Presented at the 2019 AESOP Congress “Planning for Transition” in Venice

Abstract

In this keynote speech delivered at the 2019 AESOP Congress in Venice, Alessandro Balducci explores the interplay between territorial transformations, economic change, social challenges, and institutional evolution. Framed by the concept of "transition," he reflects on the limitations of traditional planning approaches and advocates for a deeper integration of institutional and social innovation within spatial planning. Balducci calls for planning practices that are more adaptive, participatory, and open to complexity, emphasizing the role of planners in shaping democratic processes and enabling strategic agency in uncertain contexts. The speech offers both a theoretical reflection and a political proposition for planning in times of rapid change.