The aim of the project is to compare the changing tendencies of planning systems and cultures in the light of shrinking cities in the USA, Germany and Japan. Particularly, it is to be focused on

1. the comparing analysis of planning strategies and instruments referring to the primary causes of urban shrinkage
2. the analysis of the relations between planning-cultural and societal changes in the frame of shrinking processes and
3. the formulation of hypotheses which arise from the planning-cultural comparison of future-oriented planning strategies in shrinking cities respectively the development of planning cultures.