Terminology of Community Building - Campaign for Community Based Planning

last modified February 17, 2007 by tomlowenhaupt

Planning - The (psychological) process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired future on some scale. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of it with other plans. The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents, diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. Beyond this, planning has a different meaning depending on the political or economic context in which it is used.
Governance - The term governance deals with the processes and systems by which an organization or society operates. Frequently a government is established to administer these processes and systems. The word derives from Latin origins that suggest the notion of 'steering'. This sense of 'steering' a society can be contrasted with the traditional 'top-down' approach of governments 'driving' society or the distinction between 'power to' in contrast to governments 'power over'.