Urban Policy & Practice
Core Courses
Contemporary Government and Governance
This course aims to provide a wide-ranging introduction to issues in contemporary governance, including evaluating the changing structures of government and the emergence and meaning of the concept of governance. It will address the theories of how and why government and governance has evolved to its current state, its place in the wider systems and structures of national and international governance. The course will provide an introduction to the concepts of democracy and accountability and their salience in contemporary systems of government and governance; assess and critique contemporary systems of urban governance and evaluate proposals for their reform. Finally, it will introduce and critique the contemporary planning system in Scotland and the UK .
Changing Cities and Neighbourhoods
The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad knowledge of the concepts and theories relevant to the study of urban change, spatial planning and urban policy, together with an understanding of the main trends in urban development in developed countries today. There is a particular focus on Britain, but this is located within an international context. The course is based around the idea of the "new urban agenda" which has emerged in public policy in many developed countries over the past decade. This encompasses both the "problems" which are characteristic of many cities at present but also the particular "possibilities" which cities are said to offer? economically, socially, culturally and environmentally. What is different about cities? Do they offer unique possibilities for social or cultural development, economic growth or environmental sustainability? Are they locations for particular types of problem? What would a socially just, economically competitive or environmentally sustainable city look like? And what are the barriers to achieving this?
In order for members of the public, community representatives, business people, academics and other interested citizens to influence what the government does and how it uses its powers and resources, they need to understand what 'policy' is and how it is shaped. This is not straightforward since a wide range of actors, evidence and circumstantial factors affect the policy framework and its implementation. Different actors reflect national, regional, city and neighbourhood interests, and different sectors of society - public, private and different social and cultural groups. They all have some actual or potential influence over the content of policy and its delivery. They also affect the 'success' of policy in terms of its performance and impact, and 'for whom' it is successful.
This course introduces different ways of thinking about what policy is and how it is formulated: the actors, institutions, ideologies, information (evidence), popular opinion, the media and other factors that influence urban policy-making and policy outcomes. It explores different views and theories of the policy process and identifies contemporary debates and practical challenges facing urban policy-makers.