By exploring the processes by which theory and the organizational politics of built-environment decisionmaking are intertwined with each other, this article shows how “positive” theory regarding contentious ends appears to be systematically misapplied in built-environment decisionmaking. Positive theory tends to be veiled with a “factual” status that appears to be in tune with the tacit aims of institutions applying it so that theory and institutions are mutually self-supporting. As a result, the explicit aims of practicing decisionmakers may fail to be realized if they conflict with tacit aims of institutions and theory. The article shows how these misapplications can be revealed by questioning aspects of the underlying aims of decisionmakers and of the organizational politics involved.
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