Spring 2016 - 60247 - PA388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy

Readings in International Planning

This course aims to develop a critical understanding of the principal themes, schools of thought, and theoretical debates in the contested and loosely defined field known as “international planning,” “international studies in planning,” or “international development planning,” which is the term used by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP). From the perspective of ACSP, “international development planning” is the study of planning and related issues “directly relevant to developing countries.” Such research is pursued through “comparative scholarship as well as in-depth analysis of specific countries, regions, rural contexts, cities and networks” in order to elucidate specific planning challenges facing countries in the global south in comparison to what is referred to as the global north. However, from the perspective of scholars engaging with critical planning and development theories, the dissemination of international planning practice is associated with the spread of global capital and serves to spread western rationalities. From the perspective of feminist and postmodern theories, international planning serves to produce particular subjectivities, which in turn buttresses global relations of power and cements neocolonial forms of development. On the other hand, post-colonial scholars suggest that international planning research should illuminate alternative planning rationalities and practices in order to furnish not only a normative but also pragmatic critique of dominant forms of planning, and in so doing expand the definition of what constitutes “planning” also in the global north. In this seminar, students will read texts from authors situated both inside and outside the Western academia, focusing in particular on scholars who offer expanded visions of post-colonial planning practice and thus illuminate and challenge assumptions of “international planning.” In particular, readings will focus on scholarship in Latin America, Africa and South Asia which engages with issues of urban informality.

Course requirements

Approximately 2/3 of the readings will be assigned beforehand; students are responsible for identifying and presenting the remaining texts. Students will lead class discussions, write short reflection papers of the readings, produce an annotated bibliography, and produce a 20-30 page term paper. This is an interdisciplinary course and students with interests in international planning and development in all fields are welcome, including sociology, anthropology, geography, global policy, and others.

This class is cross-listed with CRP 382. CRP is the home department.