Storytelling, a model of and a model for planning

Interest in storytelling in planning has grown over the last two decades. In this article two strands of research are identified: research that looks at storytelling as a model of the way planning is done and research that looks at storytelling as a model for the way planning could or should be done. Recently, the second strand has received the most attention. This article builds on theories of storytelling as an important aspect of everyday planning practice. It draws on an ethnographic case in which a range of actors struggled with the meaning of what was going on, (re)framing the past, present and future with the help of stories. The case illustrates how new stories are built on top of older ones and new understandings emerge along the way. The article also looks into the relationship between storytelling and other planning activities. The article ends with a plea for ethnographic fieldwork to further develop ideas on storytelling in planning practice.