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Taking some controversial claims philosopher Jason Brennan makes in his book Against Democracy (Brennan 2016) as a starting point, this paper argues in favour of two theses: (1) There is No Such Thing as Superior Political Judgement; (2) There Is No Such Thing as Uncontroversial Social Scientific Knowledge. I conclude that social science experts need to be kept in check, not given more power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an extended review of Randolph T. Hester's Design for ecological democracy (2006). Initially, a brief introduction to the book, its author and the works position in the literature is given, before a broad summary of the book's central argument is provided. The paper then considers the three key themes Hester explores: enabling form, resilient form and impelling form. Through this discussion, linkages are made to wider concepts of ecology in planning practice as well as political and planning theory. The paper concludes that Design for ecological democracy provides not only an engaging philosophy for the future, but also a series of case study-supported interlinked practical methods for change for the way the built environment is shaped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]