Land Use and Society, Third Edition
Geography, Law, and Public Policy
320 pages
7 x 10
33 photos, 32 illustrations
Book Description
The intersection between geography and law is a critical yet often overlooked element of land-use decisions, with a widespread impact on how societies use the land, water, and biodiversity around them. Land Use and Society, Third Edition is a clear and compelling guide to the role of law in shaping patterns of land use and environmental management. Originally published in 1996 and revised in 2004, this third edition has been updated with data from the 2010 U.S. Census and revised with the input of academics and professors to address the changing issues in land use, policy, and law today.
Land Use and Society, Third Edition retains the historical approach of the original text while providing a more concise and topical survey of the evolution of urban land use regulation, from Europe in the Middle Ages through the present day United States. Rutherford Platt examines the “nuts and bolts” of land use decision-making in the present day and analyzes key players, including private landowners, local and national governments, and the courts. This third edition is enhanced by a discussion of the current trends and issues in land use, from urban renewal and demographic shifts in cities to the growing influence of local governance in land use management.
Land Use and Society, Third Edition is a vital resource for any student seeking to understand the intersection between law, politics, and the natural world. While Platt examines specific rules, doctrines, and practices from an American context, an understanding of the role of law in shaping land use decisions will prove vital for students, policymakers, and land use managers around the world.
Review Quotes
"Platt's optimism remains undimmed in this edition."
Planning
"Land Use and Society has long been a valuable resource as well as a teaching tool. The new edition provides a compelling and well-illustrated update to the interplay of public activity in critical areas of social and land use conflict and change."
R.L. Morrill, Professor Emeritus of Geography, University of Washington
"With seemingly inexorable population growth and the threat of global climate change, the linkage of law and geography is stronger and more critical than ever. In this remarkable third edition of Land Use and Society, Rutherford Platt helps us understand more fully the role of law in determining resource use and settlement patterns. He sees hope in attaining sustainability and social justice from the bottom up with expanded local initiatives."
Dwight Merriam, FAICP, Robinson & Cole, LLP Attorneys at Law
"The third edition of Land Use and Society will become an indispensable tool for land-use scholars, students, and professionals. The inclusion of many new topics illustrates the remarkable breadth and depth of Rutherford Platt's knowledge. I would recommend the book not just to my colleagues but to anyone I know."
Sonia Hirt, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech
"This volume, now in a third edition, develops an excellent introduction and overview of how the regulation of geography, land, and ownership rights has a profound impact on many aspects of life."
Choice
Contents
Introduction. Geography, Law, and Landscape: Reflections from 30,000 Feet
PART I. Preliminaries: Land, Geography and Law
Chapter 1. Land Use and Society: Fundamentals and Issues
Chapter 2. Shaping the Human Landscape: The Interaction of Geography and Law
PART II. From Feudalism to Federalism: The Social Organization of Land Use
Chapter 3. Historical Roots of American Land Use Institutions
Chapter 4. Building a Metropolitan Nation: 1900–1940
Chapter 5. The Polarized Metropolis: 1945–2010
PART III. Discordant Voices: Property Rights vs. The Public Interest
Chapter 6. Property Rights: The Owner as Planner
Chapter 7. The Tapestry of Local Governments
Chapter 8. Zoning, Regionalism, and Smart Growth
Chapter 9. Land Use and the Courts
Chapter 10. Congress and the Metropolitan Environment
Epilogue
List of Acronyms
