URP 500, Section 1

This is a course in the theoretical and historical foundations of planning. This course will stress basic tools that will help you to invent new solutions to new problems in the real world. We will use case studies of urban regions across the US for class discussion to both bring theory to life and allow us to test established planning theory against real urban problems. We will cover the historical foundations of planning, the classical theoretical paradigms of planning, an examination of the major roles played by practicing planners, and finally the application of those theories and roles to the case study and to larger problems of environmental limits, economic globalization, and increasing social disparity. While the course will cover the full range of planning theoretical and historical concepts, the course will emphasize especially the policy-related aspects of planning.