Introduction Spatial Planning

Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

Cities are formed by social, spatial, political, economic and environmental dynamics, but also by planning interventions. The style, method, and tradition of planning interventions have changed over time. In this course, students gain insight into the change from modernist top-down and design-oriented planning approaches to the more bottom-up, society-oriented approaches of today. Second, students are introduced to the field of work of planning and the role of planners in policy-making from a broader urban governance perspective. Third, students learn about contemporary planning approaches and theories, in particular in regard to planning for sustainable and just cities. The following questions are central to this course:

1) What is planning?

2) Who are planners?

3) What do planners do?

Study materials

Literature

• Each lecture has two articles (or book chapters) as required reading.

   

  Many articles are published in the following book, which can be bought for €21 or read online via the university library:

  Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2016). Readings in Planning Theory. (4th edition) John Wiley & Sons.

   

  Lecture 1: Introduction to the planning discipline

  Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (2016) Introduction. The structures and debates of planning theory. In: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons.

  Marcuse, P. (2011). The three historic currents of city planning. Chapter 6 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons.

   

  Seminar 1: Sustainability transitions in Amsterdam

  Gemeente Amsterdam (2024). Bouwen aan de buurten van de toekomst. Ontwikkelstrategie 2035. (Spatial development strategy 2035). City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

   

  Lecture 2: City visions
  

  Fishman, R. (1982). Urban utopias in the twentieth Century: Ebenezer Howard, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier. Chapter 1 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons.

  Jacobs, J. (1961) The death and life of great American cities. Chapter 4 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFillippis, J. (Eds.) (2015) Readings in Planning Theory . John Wiley & Sons.

   

  Lecture 3: Sustainable spatial planning
  

  Broto, V. C. (2017). Urban governance and the politics of climate change. World development, 93, 1-15.

  Campbell, S. (1996). Green cities, growing cities, just cities?: Urban planning and the contradictions of sustainable development. Chapter 11 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons. 

   

  Lecture 4: Post-growth planning practices
  

  Næss, P. (2023). Urban sustainability responsibilities of the European planning profession in the next decades. European Planning Studies, 1-12.

  Xue, J. (2022). Urban planning and degrowth: a missing dialogue. Local Environment, 27(4), 404-422.

   

  Lecture 5: Social justice

  Fainstein, S. (2013). Spatial Justice & Planning. Chapter 13 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons. 

  Sandercock, L. (2009). Towards a Cosmopolitan Urbanism: From theory to practice. Chapter 20 in: Fainstein, S. S., & DeFilippis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Readings in Planning Theory. John Wiley & Sons. 

   

  Lecture 6: The Dutch planning system
  

  Korthals Altes, W. K. (2016). Planning reform beyond planning: the debate on an integrated Environment and Planning Act in the Netherlands. Planning Practice & Research, 31(4), 420-434.

  Zonneveld & Evers (2014) Dutch national spatial planning at the end of an era. Chapter 4 in: Reimer et al (2014) Spatial Planning Systems and Practices in Europe: A Comparative Perspective on Continuity and Change. Available online via the University library.

Syllabus

• Please see the full course outline published at the Canvas page

Objectives

• Explain the spatial dimension of sustainability challenges related to for instance renewable energy production, climate adaptation, and the circular economy.
• Explain the discipline of spatial planning and its historical development.
• Analyse different roles and instruments of the spatial planner in guiding sustainable spatial development.
• Critically reflect on the role of planners in guiding sustainable spatial developments.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Self-study
• Fieldwork/excursion

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Participation in fieldwork is compulsory and cannot be replaced by assignments or other courses.
• In case of practical sessions, the student is obliged to attend at least of 90% of the sessions and to prepare himself adequately, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. In case the student attends less than 90%, the practical sessions should be redone entirely.
• In case of tutorials/seminars with assignments, the student is obliged to attend at least 7 out of 8 seminars and to prepare thoroughly for these meetings, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. If the course has more than 8 seminars, the student can miss up to 1 extra meeting for every (part of) 8 tutorials/seminars. If the students attends less than the mandatory tutorials/seminars, the course cannot be completed.

Additional requirements for this course:

Students are obliged to attend the three seminars and to prepare thoroughly for these meetings (i.e. participating in the weekly Perusall assignments).

Seminar 1 comes with an additional and mandatory assignment (pass/fail). If no assignment is submitted, students are not allowed to attend the seminar.

Students are obliged to attend the excursion.

Students that have missed the excursion, and/or one or more seminars, cannot participate in the final exam.

Assessment

The exam will consist of 4 open questions covering the the lectures, the assigned readings, and the seminars.

Please note that students can only participate in the exam if they have attended the three seminars.

Assessment diagram

Students that were enrolled in the course in previous years

Students that were enrolled in the course in previous years are recommended to participate in the seminars, but this is not required. They are expected to participate in the excursion.

Inspection of assessed work

The course coordinator will plan an inspection moment of the exam for those interested, one week after the results of the exam are announced. This moment will be communicated via Canvas.

Assignments

Part of the three seminars are Perusall assignments that help to familiarize students with the course content and reading materials. The assignments are mandatory to get access to the seminars. They are not only useful for the seminar itself, but also for practicing the type of questions students can expect at the exam.

During the seminar, students will often work in small groups on small assignments. The assignments will not be graded, but active participation is expected.

The excursion is used to show students urban development in practice, thus how concepts and theories become tangible in urban development.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

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Last year's student feedback

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Jannes Willems

Staff

• Max Keijzer, MSc.
• Pleuni Stigter, MSc.