Close encounters of the third kind: Lessons from Dutch planning

When asked to talk to this disting­uished audience, I decided to talk about my exposure to Dutch planning. In this respect, I am reminded of the characters in the Spielberg science fiction movie to which the title of this paper alludes and who have physically encountered extra-terrestrials. I reflect on my experience by describing my encounters, over more than twenty-one years, as a planning academic and educator, with Dutch planning.