Rationale

Knowledge of current urban affairs can provide clear idea about how cities changes and whether these changes are playing positive roles in the development process of cities. Such, understanding benefit the future planning a great deal as the knowledge enable them to critically think about the cause, consequences and possible future interventions regarding transformation of cities. At the same an introductory knowledge about the urban planning process can make the students able in jotting ideas about how they can take action in attaining development of cities in an organised manner.

Course Objectives 

The course will help students to gain understanding and knowledge in:  Concepts in urbanization, urban development and forces of urban changes  Contemporary challenges in an urbanising world  Contexts and theories of urban transformation  Approaches of urban planning and process of urban planning Intended 

Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 

At the end of the course the students will be able to-  Explain with key concepts and definitions regarding urban affairs and planning;  Identify key challenges in contemporary urbanising South and urbanised North; Demonstrate the definition, process and content of urban plan making;  Select the planning issues in the contemporary developing world.

Course Content 

Section A

1. Terms and definitions: Urban Area, Level of Urbanization, Rate of urbanization, Development, Growth etc. 

2. Classification of cities: Definition of: Town, secondary cities, municipalities, metropolitan cities, mega cities, global cities. 

3. State of world urbanization: A study of the state of world urbanization in the global South and the global North 

4. Forces of urban changes in the contemporary world: An exploration of key force for urban changes including demographic, economic, environmental and institutional. 

5. Current urban challenges: Current urban challenges including Demographic, Economic, Environmental, Socio-Spatial, Institutional, Urbanization and urban problems in Bangladesh 

6. Transformation of cities: Urban Theory, Urban life: Industrial modern cities, Demographic shifts and the city, Global cities, Life in cities, Consumption and the urban culture, Social inequality and the city, Sustainable cities

Section B

7. Introduction to plan making: Definition of planning, 

8. Planning Process: Non-participatory and participatory planning process 

9. Planning Policy Framework: An understanding of different strata of planning documentation. 

10. Emergence of Planning as a technical profession and its approaches: Early forms of urban planning, emergence and spread of modernist planning, contemporary approaches to planning 

11. Role of Urban Planning in dealing contemporary challenges in Bangladesh: An overview of current planning challenges, current and future responses to the planning issues