When vagueness is a strategic resource for planning actors

Abstract

This article examines vagueness in planning discourse not as a deficiency but as a strategic resource used by planning actors in adverse circumstances. Based on a systematic textual and visual analysis of 36 French local transport plans produced between 2000 and 2015, the paper demonstrates how vagueness is employed to hedge against uncertainty, manage conflict, and avoid firm commitments. The findings highlight vagueness as a diffuse yet powerful element of planning discourse, reshaping how plans function as instruments of governance.