ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the topic of ‘institutions in action’ from a sociologically informed neo-institutionalist perspective. Its starting point resides in identifying a critical nexus between reflecting on ‘institutions in action’ and key notions in the critical analysis and interpretation of contemporary political practices, such as governance and regulation. Moving from this nexus, it extends its arguments to a discussion of the nature of the urban ‘political’, taking a hegemony theoretical perspective on governance and institutionalization. It argues that the intersection of these theoretical perspectives may represent a critical nexus for addressing questions concerning the political dimension of planning in our times.
