Is the 'rule of law' good for cities?

There is a widespread consensus that, everywhere in the world, urban development has to be based on the rule of law. But what is 'the rule of law'? Does any formal legal system qualify - or must it have specific requirements? If there are specific requirements, who says what they are? Does the rule of law inhibit - or does it encourage - the extent of privatisation of urban space? Does it require the abolition of informal settlements and businesses or allow them? This lecture will investigate whether the contested notion of the rule of law contributes to thinking about urban form.