Issue-attention Cycles in Planning Studies

Abstract

Issue-attention cycles are commonly observed in media and politics, but not in science and humanities. However, in geography and planning studies we do see how certain topics emerge and become fashionable while others slowly fade away from the academic agenda. So far, there are no models that explain the ups and downs of issues in planning research. In this paper we explore the question of how issues attract the attention of the scientific community in the field of planning. We start by reviewing respective sociology of science-literature and suggesting to supplement it with agenda setting-models. We then investigate the development of the issues “shrinking cities” and “climate change” by interpreting social and cognitive networks in both scientific discourses. On this basis we analyse, how individual researchers and scientific communities select research topics. Eventually we discuss the pros and cons of issue-attention cycles in science.