Advanced Brainstorm Carrefour (ABC): The Science of the City Naples, March 2016 Presentation by Peter Batey What is regional science? Regional science and regional studies: where did Peter Hall fit in? The many dimensions of Peter Hall Lessons for regional science from Peter Hall

1. Peter Batey
Emeritus Professor of Town and Regional
Planning
University of Liverpool
1909
2009
Civic Design The world’s first university planning school
Footprints of Regional Science:
Great Minds in Regional
Science: Peter Hall

2. Sir Peter Hall,
1932-2014

3. Peter Hall’s New York Times obituary
highlights one practical way in which he
influenced public policy
August 6th 2014

4. Structure of presentation
• Introduction
• What is regional science?
• Regional science and regional studies: where
did Peter Hall fit in?
• The many dimensions of Peter Hall
• Lessons for regional science from Peter Hall

5. What is regional science?
• The current definition:
Studies focusing on the region, including the utilization of tools,
methods and theoretical frameworks, specifically designed for
regional analysis as well as concepts, procedures and analytical
techniques of the various social and other sciences.
• Isard’s 1975 textbook:
Regional science is the analytical study of the development over
time of meaningful spaces, such as , for example, urban areas,
regions, districts, river basins and sub-continental masses.
Regional science is a synthesis of the art of planning and
management with the science of spatial systems.
Which definition best describes Peter Hall’s regional science?

6. Regional science and regional
studies: where did Peter Hall fit in?

7. What sort of regional scientist was
Peter Hall?
• Peter Hall was a member of the Regional Science
Association but not an active one.
• As far as I am aware he never presented a paper
at a European Congress or a British and Irish
Section meeting.
• He never published in any of the journals with
regional science in the title.
• Instead his loyalty was to the Regional Studies
Association, and to the Town and Country
Planning Association.

8. In the early 1960s, Walter Isard
worked hard to extend the
Regional Science Association in
Europe. He established sections
throughout the continent but
founding a British Section
proved more difficult.
His efforts initially misfired and
led British academics and
practitioners to found a rival
organization, the Regional
Studies Association.
The Regional Science Association

9. ‘....Great Britain seems to be behind other nations in regional
research. It seemed to us that in view of the interest that you
and your department have in regional analysis, it would be
logical for you and your department to assume the leadership
in this matter, provided, of course, you folks are in a position to
do so, and feel that such a step is desirable...’
Walter Isard, writing
to Richard Stone, 4th
January 1961
Isard wrote to Richard Stone at Cambridge inviting him to take
the lead in founding a British Section

10. ‘I think a British section of the RSA would be a good idea in
principle but I do not know what the response would be
and I do not feel able to take on the initial organising
responsibilities. In England especially it is very important to
get off on the right foot and I feel that for a proper response
the local convener should be someone who is fairly and
squarely a regional scientist. Interested as I am in the
subject I cannot claim to be that’.
Richard Stone
9th February 1961
Richard Stone turns down Isard’s invitation to lead
the formation of a British section:

11. After Stone declines Isard’s invitation, Isard approached others,
including Donald Robertson at Glasgow. Eventually, in 1963, Isard
settles on Gunther Hirsch (Agricultural Economics Research
Institute, Oxford) as his main collaborator in his efforts to found
a ‘British Isles Section’. He sends Hirsch a list of RSA members in
Britain and together they make plans to hold an exploratory
meeting in London in July 1964
Hirsch comments to Isard (25th May, 1964):
‘Outside a rather small circle of ‘initiated’ people, few know what
regional science is, in any case in this country. As we intend to
invite not only the ‘initiated’ but also those who might or should
be interested, we would be grateful if you would choose as your
topic ‘The International Situation in Regional Science’ and would
give us an outline of what is being done in this field of study and
how it can be applied in practice’
Isard recruits Gunther Hirsch

12. An invitation to a meeting at
LSE to discuss the formation of
a British Isles Section of the
Regional Science Association
The invitation came from
Gunther Hirsch, Leslie Jay and
Nathaniel Lichfield, all of
whom were early attendees at
European Congresses of the
RSA
The meeting took place on
11th July 1964, with Isard as
the main speaker

13. Isard comments frankly to Richard Stone,
15th December 1965:
‘....during the summer of 1964 and subsequently I visited England
primarily to encourage the establishment of a British Isles section of
the Regional Science Association. Unfortunately the initial stimuli
proved too strong: a much larger and diverse group was brought
together than had been anticipated. As a result a new association, the
Regional Studies Association, was formed which comprises individuals
who on the average are less ‘hard’ scientifically than I had hoped for. I
am still hoping that we can form a British Isles section composed
strictly of ‘hard’ analysts concerned with basic theoretical and empirical
research.’

14. Isard determined to achieve his goal
• Isard is adamant that he wants to continue his effort to form a
British Isles section, arguing that many younger,
mathematically-minded, academics are dissatisfied with the
‘softer’ approach of the Regional Studies Association
• He enlists the support of Allen Scott who is shortly to return
to Britain after working with Isard at Penn; he encourages
Nathaniel Lichfield to lend support, despite his active
involvement in the Regional Studies Association ‘project’

15. The Regional Studies Association
• Formed as a reaction against Walter Isard’s
proposal to found a British Isles Section of the
Regional Science Association.
• Combination of academics and academically-
informed practitioners, with a descriptive, rather
than analytical background.
• Policy context was changing rapidly in mid-1960s,
presenting geographers and planners with
opportunities to do innovative policy work.

16. Peter Hall takes on the role of
Editor of Regional Studies, the
journal of the newly-formed
Regional Studies Association. He
contributes a paper to the first
issue, published in 1967.

17. The many dimensions of Peter Hall

18. Peter Hall
The accounts of Peter Hall variously describe
him as a:
– Geographer
– Urban Planner
– Regional Planner
– Historian
– Futurist
– Journalist
– Polymath in city studies (Taylor)

19. Five intersections of a polymath (Taylor)
• Geography and Planning
• Cities and State
• Times and Spaces
• Town/Country and City/Region
• London and Globalization

20. Peter Hall as a social scientist
Phelps et al provide a useful characterisation of Hall’s approach as a social
scientist:
• His approach has remained steadfastly an inductive one – of empirical
observation prior to generalisation and theory building – and one of
practical application of that academic understanding.
• This inductive approach places Hall apart from his planning academic
peers, since he has engaged comparatively little over the years with
planning theory.
• Planning theory has addressed itself to a profound critique of the
technocratic planning practised up to the 1970s. Peter Hall on the other
hand has remained strongly attached to a rational-positivist, essentially
systems theory, approach to planning as it was practised in the 1960s.
• This puts him apart from much writing in geography and other social
sciences as someone less concerned with theory and critical analysis.

21. Peter Hall as a social scientist
• Peter Hall did much to foster the growth of
regional science, especially at Reading in the
1960s and 1970s.
• Until the 1960s, planning in Britain was merely
a professional activity - ‘architecture writ
large’. Peter Hall was one of a small number of
academics who successfully promoted the
notion of planning as a social science, giving it
academic respectability.

22. In 2012 a two-day symposium
was held at University College
London to mark Peter Hall’s
80th birthday. Invited speakers
were asked to comment on
each of Peter Hall’s books.
Peter Hall played an active role
throughout the symposium
giving every indication that yet
more publications were to
come.
The Planning Imagination
(2014) was the product of the
symposium.

24. A second book, produced
separately, concentrates on
Peter Hall’s contributions to
regional planning, transport
and urban geography.
(2016)

25. The planning imagination
• Tewdwr Jones et al.’s book concludes that Peter
Hall possessed the rare ability not only to define
the main issues but also to recommend
appropriate courses of action. They call this the
planning imagination.
• Planning remains as an uncomfortable alter ego
of the core disciplines (including geography and
history) – a nagging voice imploring academics to
think beyond the analytical to the normative
question of ‘what is to be done’? (Phelps et al.
2014)

26. Peter Hall’s public policy profile
Source: Knowles and Rozenblat (2016)

27. Peter Hall as a journalist
• Unlike most social scientists whose research is mainly published in
journal articles, Peter Hall’s reputation is built upon his books and
on an extensive collection of shorter journalistic pieces. These
shorter pieces have often gathered the most significant policy
impact (e.g. enterprise zones).
• In his own words: ‘I’ve spent much of my life as a journalist, as a
professional journalist…Because I’ve always been reacting to what’s
happening literally that week, it always kept me kind of reacting in
terms of the immediate. That you could say was superficial, but I’ve
tried to react to it in an un-superficial way’
• ‘I still believe that if we’re doing anything….it’s to change the world
in some way and create something better.

28. Michael Heseltine on Peter Hall
‘Peter has made an immense contribution to
academic thinking about places but critically has
continued to write for audiences outside
universities.
‘His regular columns display a sharp mind,
engaging regularly on topical issues. If only more
academics were prepared to engage with people
at the coalface!’

29. Peter Hall as an agent of change
• ‘I would say it’s possibly something wrong with the academy.
I’m using it in the general sense… a certain withdrawal, a kind
of critical carping. I see this a lot in the literature… I can’t take
this endless, smart, removed approach….. Well I suppose it’s a
legitimate activity and not entirely perverse or self-
destructive. But it doesn’t get us anywhere’.
• ‘I grew up in a world where you really did have to care about
places and regional geography and that stuck with me. I did
believe in understanding places and I defend that
passionately. It’s the only way to go and that’s one of the
great contributions of geography to planning.’

30. Lessons for regional science from Peter Hall: 1
• Although he may be described as an urban polymath, Peter Hall
nevertheless has three main core disciplines: geography, history
and planning. This contrasts with most of today’s regional
science which tends to have economics, geography and
(planning) as its core disciplines. Ought we to be concerned
about this?
• Regional science ought to be an inter-disciplinary activity but
often isn’t: Hall consistently maintains an inter-disciplinary
approach. Our conferences and journals conspire against this.
• The time dimension in regional science: Peter Hall stresses the
importance of understanding the past and thinking
systematically about the future. Both tend to be ignored by
regional scientists.

31. Lessons for regional science from Peter Hall: 2
• Peter Hall’s brand of regional science begins with thought and
analysis, but then leads on to action. How many of us have
the confidence and courage to say what should be done?
Aren’t many of us guilty of abstract theorising for its own
sake?
• Good journalism is a perfectly respectable activity for a
regional scientist. In many ways, it was one of the secrets of
Peter Hall’s success.
• Maintaining a portfolio of external, public service activity
which makes us think about current issues and their solution
ought to be part of most regional scientist’s work programme.
• Caring about a city (or a region) is important and will drive
efforts to guide that city’s future development.

32. Which definition best describes
Peter Hall’s regional science?
• The current definition:
Studies focusing on the region, including the utilization of tools,
methods and theoretical frameworks, specifically designed for
regional analysis as well as concepts, procedures and analytical
techniques of the various social and other sciences.
• Isard’s 1975 textbook:
Regional science is the analytical study of the development over time
of meaningful spaces, such as , for example, urban areas, regions,
districts, river basins and sub-continental masses.
Regional science is a synthesis of the art of planning and management
with the science of spatial systems.
Something else?

33. Peter Hall’s final
book: a fine
example of what he
did best.