What Urban Policies and Planning Can Learn From John Rawls

Jul 17, 2026

The article critically examines how John Rawls’s theory of justice has been imported into planning and the idea of the just city. It goes beyond discussing Rawls-inspired planning approaches by analyzing what role (any theory of) justice should play in urban policies. Through revisiting Rawls, it presents two objectives: evaluate prevalent applications to urban planning and offer an alternative interpretation of undervalued Rawlsian insights. It develops a “meta-theory of the just city,” outlining methodological precautions rather than proposing a full normative theory.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Rawls and the influence on planning

Rawlsian approaches in planning: the prevalent view

Core principles and common applications

| | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | What can urban policies and planning really learn from John Rawls? A multi-strata view of institutional action and a canvas conception of the just city Planning Theory 2023, Vol. 22(4) 404–425 © The Author(s) 2023 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions) [DOI: 10.1177/14730952231163274](DOI: 10.1177/14730952231163274)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/14730952231163274)[journals.sagepub.com/home/plt](journals.sagepub.com/home/plt) Stefano Moroni􀀁 Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Polytechnic University of Milan, Milano, Italy Abstract One of the most inﬂuential theories of justice in planning theory and practice has been, without doubt, that of John Rawls. The very idea of the just city is indebted to Rawls’s view. However, the way in which Rawlsian theory of justice has been imported into planning often seems debatable. This article aims to discuss this aspect critically. The objective is not merely to discuss certain planning approaches inspired by Rawls; it is also to investigate, in more general terms, what meaning and role (any theory of) justice could and should have for planning and urban policies. In revisiting John Rawls’s view, the article is structured around two points: ﬁrst, a critical discussion on how Rawls’s theory of justice has been generally applied to urban policies and planning; second, an exploration of an alternative way to interpret and apply certain Rawlsian insights (often undervalued) in this ﬁeld. The article is not intended to defend and recommend Rawls’s normative theory as a whole ([i.e. in](i.e. in) its entirety), but to evidence certain Rawlsian contributions of a general nature that are particularly important. Nor is it the aim of this article to contribute directly to the development of a speciﬁc substantive idea of the just city; instead, it is to highlight fundamental methodological and analytical caveats that are crucial in this regard. Rather than a “theory of the just city”, this article develops a “meta-theory of the just city”: that is, an approach specifying precautions and conditions for any coherent and convincing just city theory. Corresponding author: Stefano Moroni, Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Polytechnic University of Milan, Via Bonardi 3, Milano 20133, Italy. Email: [stefano.moroni@polimi.it](stefano.moroni@polimi.it) Keywords Just city, John Rawls, difference principle, equity, institutions Introduction One of the most inﬂuential theories of justice in planning theory and practice has been, without doubt, that of John Rawls. Basta (2016: 191) observes: “In the past two decades, Rawls ’s Theory gave rise to a dedicated planning literature”. And Winkler and Duminy (2016: 119) note: “Rawlsian philosophy […] remains a key inﬂuence on planning theory and ethics”. The very idea of the just city is indeb

FAQs

What is the main critical focus of the article on Rawls and planning?

It scrutinizes how Rawlsian justice has been adopted in planning and the just city, arguing that the import is often debatable. It aims to clarify what meaning and role justice should have in urban policies.

What two points does the article use to structure its revisiting of Rawls’s view?

First, it critically discusses how Rawls’s theory of justice is generally applied to urban policies and planning. Second, it explores an alternative way to interpret and apply certain (often undervalued) Rawlsian insights in this field.

What does the article mean by a “meta-theory of the just city”?

Instead of defending a complete normative theory or proposing a specific substantive just city idea, it highlights fundamental methodological and analytical caveats. The approach specifies precautions and conditions for any coherent and convincing just city theory.

Jul 17, 2026

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