Critical Review of Sustainable Development Policies and Planning (B-KUL-H0H46A)

4 ECTSEnglish44 Second term
POC Human Settlements

At the end of the course, students are able to:

  • to review and debate the origins and present position of sustainable development concepts
  • to critically assess sustainable development policies at different levels, their institutional frameworks and the policy making dynamics 
  • to understand the spatial impact of sustainable development efforts in various cultural and geographical contexts, taking ethical principles into account 
  • to understand how economic and social dynamics like tax laws, general legislation, governance issues, property regulations, etc.. have an effect on sustainable development and spatial planning policies
  • To understand how urban and regional development policies and instruments are inextricably linked with mobility issues
  • to critically assess spatial planning and sustainable development policies in terms of human settlements qualities and needs
  • to understand and use critical assessment methods and generate a creative critical reflection, including towards the used assessment methods

Additionally, students have learned to link the basic concepts and policy debates of sustainable development and spatial planning with critical assessment approaches. They have seen and discussed several social, economic and political activities that affect sustainable development and planning dynamics, on various levels and in different institutional and cultural contexts, including aspects of governance. Students know how to assess sustainable development and territorial planning processes and products, using specific methods and understanding their advantages and pitfalls. They also have understood the added value of qualitative living environments, how to define them and how they can be supported by academic research and urban design.

General conditions of admission to the programme MaHS and MAUSP

Activities

2 ects. Critical Review of Sustainable Development Policies and Planning: Lectures (B-KUL-H0H46a)

2 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture12 Second term
POC Human Settlements

Sustainable development policies have emerged internationally since the second half of the past century. Taking the large diversity of policy documents, programmes, strategies, concepts and instruments applied in this field in different contexts as a starting point, the main focus of the course is their advanced critical assessment. Not only in terms of the desired or effective results, but also by analysing the social, economic and political contexts in which these policies and their implementation take place. All of this viewed through a spatial lens.

On the global level, some key policy documents like the Brundtland report (1987), the UN Agenda 21 (1992) and the Millennium goals (2000) are briefly analysed and critically assessed. More recent agreements and policy guidelines like the UN Agenda on Sustainable development (SDG’s, 2015), the New urban Agenda (Habitat III, Quito, 2016) or other more specific policy documents like the Paris agreement on Climate change (UNFCCC, 2015) are discussed.

The main focus of the course however is the critical analysis of a wide existing diversity of development policy documents and instruments across continents, countries, cities and territories, at different scales. More specifically, the relation these kind of development policies have with the territories they are designed for – or even more relevant, with the adjacent ones experiencing the effects of such territorially designed policies – is critically analysed. The spatial impact of development policies on human settlements is assessed with focus on urban and regional scales.

This course focusses as well on mobility issues. Considered as one of the main challenges in urban and regional development, e.a. related with climate change, the relationship between space and mobility is explored, analysed and, through existing or planned policies or projects, critically assessed. 

The extent to which the different policies and tools can be called realistic, implementable, effective, efficient, … is explored through a joint critical assessment. Students are introduced into the world of assessment methods and instruments and how to critically assess these assessment tools.

Students prepare, present and discuss critical reviews of a varied range of policy documents, development plans or projects related to the human settlement field and applied on various geographical levels like cities, neighbourhoods, river valleys, regions, nations, socio-cultural entities, etc.. While doing so, the following elements are taking into account:

  • Analysis of the reasons to develop and approve a policy plan on sustainable development. Why at this level and what kind of political processes are at stake? Which concepts and methods were used? What focus was taken into account, which elements were not included and why? What’s the level of detail ?  Is there also a corresponding budget an implementation plan?
  • Analysis of who was involved in the decision making process. How priorities were set, were local needs defined and taken into account? Who was actually involved and in which way? Was there a visioning process or rather pragmatic problem solving? Which decision making mechanisms? Where stakeholders included, which ones and how frequently ?
  • Analysis of the positions and roles. Who were the beneficiaries? Who could exercise power? How priorities were formulated and chosen?  Was diversity taken into account? Which groups were dominant?
  • Analysis of time issues, based on philosophical concepts.
  • Analysis of the implementation trajectory. What are available resources? Is it visible in budget plans or more sectoral plans? Any specific procedures? Is there a monitoring system set up?

 

2 ects. Critical Review of Sustainable Development Policies and Planning : Seminars (B-KUL-H0H47a)

2 ECTSEnglishFormat: Practical32 Second term
POC Human Settlements

Sustainable development policies have emerged internationally since the second half of the past century. Taking the large diversity of policy documents, programmes, strategies, concepts and instruments applied in this field in different contexts as a starting point, the main focus of the course is their advanced critical assessment. Not only in terms of the desired or effective results, but also by analysing the social, economic and political contexts in which these policies and their implementation take place. All of this viewed through a spatial lens.

On the global level, some key policy documents like the Brundtland report (1987), the UN Agenda 21 (1992) and the Millennium goals (2000) are briefly analysed and critically assessed. More recent agreements and policy guidelines like the UN Agenda on Sustainable development (SDG’s, 2015), the New urban Agenda (Habitat III, Quito, 2016) or other more specific policy documents like the Paris agreement on Climate change (UNFCCC, 2015) are discussed.

The main focus of the course however is the critical analysis of a wide existing diversity of development policy documents and instruments across continents, countries, cities and territories, at different scales. More specifically, the relation these kind of development policies have with the territories they are designed for – or even more relevant, with the adjacent ones experiencing the effects of such territorially designed policies – is critically analysed. The spatial impact of development policies on human settlements is assessed with focus on urban and regional scales.

This course focusses as well on mobility issues. Considered as one of the main challenges in urban and regional development, e.a. related with climate change, the relationship between space and mobility is explored, analysed and, through existing or planned policies or projects, critically assessed. 

The extent to which the different policies and tools can be called realistic, implementable, effective, efficient, … is explored through a joint critical assessment. Students are introduced into the world of assessment methods and instruments and how to critically assess these assessment tools.

Students prepare, present and discuss critical reviews of a varied range of policy documents, development plans or projects related to the human settlement field and applied on various geographical levels like cities, neighbourhoods, river valleys, regions, nations, socio-cultural entities, etc.. While doing so, the following elements are taking into account:

  • Analysis of the reasons to develop and approve a policy plan on sustainable development. Why at this level and what kind of political processes are at stake? Which concepts and methods were used? What focus was taken into account, which elements were not included and why? What’s the level of detail ?  Is there also a corresponding budget an implementation plan?
  • Analysis of who was involved in the decision making process. How priorities were set, were local needs defined and taken into account? Who was actually involved and in which way? Was there a visioning process or rather pragmatic problem solving? Which decision making mechanisms? Where stakeholders included, which ones and how frequently ?
  • Analysis of the positions and roles. Who were the beneficiaries? Who could exercise power? How priorities were formulated and chosen?  Was diversity taken into account? Which groups were dominant?
  • Analysis of time issues, based on philosophical concepts.
  • Analysis of the implementation trajectory. What are available resources? Is it visible in budget plans or more sectoral plans? Any specific procedures? Is there a monitoring system set up?

Evaluation

Evaluation: Critical Review of Sustainable Development Policies and Planning (B-KUL-H2H46a)

Type : Partial or continuous assessment with (final) exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Oral, Paper/Project, Presentation
Type of questions : Open questions
Learning material : Course material


Discussion Paper reflection