Speaker
Description
The book Normative Species by Peregrin offers an innovative perspective for urban planning by redefining the role of rules as a central element in the construction and management of urban space. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the book highlights how norms are not merely prescriptive tools but constitutive components of social reality, essential for the organization of institutions and collective practices.
In the field of urban planning, this perspective allows for overcoming a rigid view of regulation, often perceived as a bureaucratic constraint, in favor of a more dynamic and adaptive approach. Peregrin demonstrates how norms emerge from social interaction and evolve to meet cooperation needs, shaping “normative spaces” that, if well designed, can foster harmonious and inclusive urban development.
A key aspect of Peregrin’s theory applicable to planning is the distinction between self-standing rules and integrative rules. While the former operate independently, the latter derive their meaning only within a broader system. This distinction is crucial for understanding the institutional dynamics of the city: urban norms are not isolated entities but rather part of a complex system that regulates collective behavior, spatial management, and urban identity formation.
Urban planning can thus benefit from a paradigm shift: rather than merely managing urban phenomena through top-down regulations, it can adopt an approach that values rules as evolutionary tools capable of adapting to social and cultural changes. Analyzing institutions as dynamic normative systems enables a better interpretation of urban transformations and the design of more flexible spaces that respond to society’s real needs.
Finally, Peregrin’s work underscores the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to urban planning, integrating philosophy, institutional theory, and behavioral economics to develop more effective and inclusive regulations. Understanding rules as emergent phenomena, rather than rigid impositions, can open new pathways for more conscious and participatory planning, where norms serve as instruments of innovation rather than mere regulatory constraints.
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
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