T O W A R D A R E G E N E R A T I V E P S Y C H O L O G Y O F U R B A N P L A N N I N G A dissertation presented to the faculty of Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology by Nicholas S. Mang © May 2009 Nicholas S. Mang, San Francisco, California, all rights reserved. This document is a revised copy of the original dissertation approved by faculty of Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. ii Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to all stewards of the earth, Who daily help to generate and regenerate the living world we call home. iii Acknowledgments The process of conceptualizing this dissertation has been in many ways a collective one. Just as the saying goes that “it takes a village to raise a child,” so goes a dissertation. Without the support, inspiration, and engagement from many amazing and remarkable people, this dissertation would not have come to fruition. While there are many more than can be named, I would like to take space here to personally acknowledge a few such people. To my committee members, Joel, Jurgen, and John, each of whom personally helped guide me through this process and helped model for me a humanistic way of engaging and mentoring. Furthermore, to my chair Joel Federman, who as a true Bohmian, always created space for dialogue in which greater meaning and wholeness could emerge, thus continuously supporting and encouraging me to go deeper. To the IDP community, and Charlie Krone in particular, whose relentless caring and profound vision for humanity and our planet has greatly inspired this work as well as my own personal commitment to continuously regenerate spirit in the world. To members of the Regenesis/RCG community, Ben, Joel, Tim, Shannon, Bill, and Carol, whose immense dedication to healing the planet and the human psyche have helped to generate a creative and developmental learning environment in which to work and evolve on this path together. To my parents, Bob and Pamela, who have never failed to believe in me and have provided me with immense tools and opportunities in which to unfold my life and life’s work. Finally, and most importantly, to my wife Ashley, the love of my life, for whom words fail me in appreciating the gift and inspiration that she feeds in my life and work, who helps me grow daily the fire in my heart and the will to make this world a better place. iv T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Context and Rationale .................................................................................................................................................................2 The Problem...................................................................................................................................................................2 The Potential..................................................................................................................................................................3 The Challenge ................................................................................................................................................................4 The Opportunity.......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Overview .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Significance .................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 1: TOWARDS A REGENERATIVE PSYCHOLOGY..................................................................................... 11 Four Distinct Psychological Paradigms ........................................................................................................................... 11 Overview...................................................................................................................................................................... 16 First Order: Psychologies of Adjustment....................................................................................................... 17 Second Order: Psychologies of Human Potential....................................................................................... 19 Third Order: Living Systems Psychologies ................................................................................................... 21 Fourth Order: Psychologies of Spiritualization .......................................................................................... 22 Theory Summation.................................................................................................................................................. 24 Beyond a Psychology of Human Potential...................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................... 27 v CHAPTER 2: THE REDISCOVERY OF PLACE & OUR HUMAN ROLE IN IT......................................................... 29 Endangered Place ..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 What is Place? ............................................................................................................................................................................. 32 Place as Interconnected and Nested................................................................................................................ 34 Place as Bounded and Distinctive..................................................................................................................... 34 Place as Value‐Adding............................................................................................................................................ 36 Place as Concentrating and Enrichening ...................................................................................................... 36 Place as Magnetic and Ordering ........................................................................................................................ 38 Place as Dynamic and Evolving.......................................................................................................................... 39 Conclusions and Interpretations....................................................................................................................... 40 Our Human Relationship to Place ...................................................................................................................................... 41 Conclusions and Interpretations....................................................................................................................... 45 The Way We Inhabit Place: Four Nested Paradigms.................................................................................................. 46 Order 1: Operational Development and the Management of Hazards ............................................. 46 Order 2: Self‐Actualization and the Development of Being................................................................... 49 Order 3: Living System Actualization and the Development of Value‐Adding Processes........ 54 Order 4: Field Regeneration and the Development of Devotional Caring...................................... 58 Chapter Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER 3: REGENERATIVE PLANNING FOR THE HABITATION OF PLACE................................................ 64 Evaluating Thinking in the Planning Field Today ...................................................................................................... 65 Planning at the Psychology of Adjustment Level ....................................................................................... 66 Planning at the Psychology of Human Potential Level ............................................................................71 Planning at the Psychology of Living Systems Level ............................................................................... 74 Planning at the Psychology of Spiritualization Level .............................................................................. 80 Potentials in the Field ............................................................................................................................................................. 82 Chapter Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................... 84 CHAPTER 4: A LEADERSHIP CASE STUDY OF CURITIBA, BRAZIL ...................................................................... 85 The Story of Curitiba...............................................................................................................................................................