Course Overview
This course equips students with theoretical foundations and practical tools to address complex urban challenges. It is structured around two interwoven pillars: (1) planning methods and models, and (2) research methodologies in urban contexts. Students will examine how urban planning operates within dynamic institutional, political, and socio-spatial settings, and will critically engage with diverse planning approaches and research strategies.
Through lectures, applied workshops, and case-based learning, students will explore pressing urban issues and build a context-sensitive methodological toolkit that supports ethical, research-driven, and innovative planning practice.
Key Focus Areas
- Critically assess and compare urban planning models and governance frameworks.
- Design and implement qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research strategies.
- Apply spatial ethnography, actor-network mapping, and participatory approaches.
- Collect and analyze urban data from fieldwork, interviews, and secondary sources.
- Use digital tools (e.g., Gephi, GIS, NVivo) for analysis and spatial data visualization.