Topic outline

  • General

    Introduction 

    'Planning' is a complex practice for the tremendous amount of knowledge needed to accomplish a planning task. Planners must consider many factors, including the economy, the ecology, the geography and the human needs. Similarly, 'Theory' of planning is not less difficult to be defined for its diverse schools of thoughts. Planning systems and practices make it even harder to create a comprehension of 'Planning Theory'.

    The course on planning theory and urban studies is an introduction to some of the main issues studied in planning theory (III period) and the major fields of urban studies (IV period).

    Course Objectives 

    The rapid transformations of the contemporary post-modern world require professionals to be capable of flowing from one theoretical standpoint to another. The capacity to use theories as tools, not as something that we have to commit to, is among the learning outcomes of this course. Course participants will examine understanding the City in the context of various disciplines. Urban economy, urban geography, cultural studies and urban sociology are the disciplines in the course interests. Both Planning Theory and Urban Studies will be broken down into Themes to be researched in depth. 

    Course Structure

    The III period is dedicated to Planning Theory through reading, seminars and roundtable discussions. Themes to be studied are: Knowledge & Rationality, Power & Participation, Strategic (Spatial) planning, Culture & art in Planning as well as Urban systems. Please check the section (III period, Planning Theory) for more specific detail. 

    The IV period is dedicated to understand disciplines as: urban sociology, urban economy, urban geography and cultural studies. Disciplines will be broken down into the themes: segregation, economic development, and cultural development for better understanding of their relation with urban planning. Please check the section (IV period, Urban Studies) for more specific detail. 

    We shall be working by reading literature, discussing in the seminar sessions and writing short essays on the issues discussed in literature and during the seminars.

    Time and Place

    As mentioned under each section period.  

    Course Requirements

    Individually: reading articles on planning theory, attending the seminars, participating actively in the discussions and writing essays& Portfolio. 

    In groups: take part in cities' plan analysis and presentations.