Research by Restrepo-Mieth – Learning from Mistakes: Reflective Planning, Simple Junctures, and Institutional Change

March 22, 2023

Abstract

This article examines how planners move from reflection to action in pursuit of institutional change. Building on the literature on reflective practice and historical institutionalism, and using Medellín as a case study, I build a framework for analyzing how planners go from reflecting on a problem and identifying its institutional origins to devising solutions based on experience, knowledge, or innovation. Those solutions are then mobilized through “simple junctures,” which are opportunities distinct from everyday processes. The findings, based on interviews, documents, and observations, show the importance of training planners to reflect on institutional factors and of leveraging simple junctures.

Citation

Andrea Restrepo-Mieth (2023) Learning from Mistakes: Reflective Planning, Simple Junctures, and Institutional Change, Planning Theory & Practice, DOI: 10.1080/14649357.2023.2183243

Recent Posts

EJB Talks: Planning, Policy, Politics, and the Path to Office

Planning, Policy, Politics, and the Path to Office with Assemblywoman Katie Brennan This week on EJB talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to Bloustein alumnus Katie Brennan MCRP '12, now an Assemblywoman in New Jersey's 32nd District. Katie reflects on how her early...

Report Release: R/ECON Forecast Winter 2026

Read Report R/ECON’s economic forecast for New Jersey at the beginning of 2026 is a mixed bag. The state, like the nation, is likely to finish the year with notably stronger GDP growth than forecast earlier in the year. At the same time, the outlook for 2026 continues...