Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

To consider both the practical and theoretical roles of planning in the socially, economically and environmentally sustainable development of cities, especially in the Global South.

To develop the capacity to critically analyse urban development in situations which the student is not familiar with.

To challenge students to rethink their perceptions and understanding of the process of urbanisation cities of the Global South.

The module offers an opportunity to explore the relationship between urban planning and social justice in the context of a specific issue through individual project work. It involves a combination of lectures, discussions, workshops, informal presentations and project work. It offers the opportunity to test the transferability of theories and practices learned in the first semester to the context of a city in the Global South. The module is particularly suitable for students wishing to engage with international planning and global urban development.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. Introduction to the module. Reflection and links to semester 1.
2. Report writing / Case study 1: transport accessibility
3. Collecting information / Case study 2: eco-cities and urban regeneration
4. Developing a case study / Case study 3: energy and climate justice
5. Policy review / Case study 4: urban informality
6. Critical thinking I / Case study discussion
7. Critical thinking II
8. Generating strategies
9. Formative presentations
10. Revised presentations
11. Conclusion and assignment discussion

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module students will:

Recognise how planning can improve or exacerbate urban poverty.
Know the key social, economic, and environmental challenges facing global urban development.
Understand the difficulties when working across distance, time and cultures.
Recognise the major dilemmas facing planning in other countries.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Subject specific:
Ability to identify development and planning issues in other countries and to investigate these by finding and analysing available data.
Ability to generate appropriate and potentially implementable strategies to address issues raised.

Cognitive, intellectual skills:
Ability to place planning issues in a theoretical context. Critical thinking.

Key Skills: Presentation and communication skills. Report writing.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The rationale is to build up the project on topics introduced in semester 1 and work towards the report during the module. Scheduled sessions will link discussions developed in semester 1, introduce students to a range of case studies and develop their skills in critical analysis and report writing. Workshops will enable students to discuss the progress of their work and identify areas of development. Formative presentations will enable presentation of findings and receive feedback.

Based on one of the case studies presented, the project work allows students to explore planning issues in different institutional and cultural contexts. Linking with students in India for discussion will engender a deeper understanding of working in another context. This will also enable discussion for peer-to-peer learning.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students will prepare and present a visual output (e.g., PowerPoint) on specific case studies. The output will include contextual information, policies, textual and visual data. This will contribute towards the development of their presentation and communication skills on a planning issue or intervention in a context outside of the UK.
The final report demonstrates the student’s ability to focus on one specific aspect of planning or a specific planning intervention in another country. This will show how they identify, acquire, analyse and utilise data gained during lectures, discussions and through a desk-study.

The plan is to build up the research and write it up as the module progresses. This could allow sections to be written and submitted to build up the final piece as a portfolio, but will usually be a report.

General Notes

N/A