Course Title: Planning Systems and Public Policy

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Planning Systems and Public Policy

Credit Points: 12

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
ARCH1295	City Campus	Postgraduate	330H Social Science & Planning	Face-to-Face or Internet	Sem 2 2006
ARCH1295	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2016, Sem 1 2018
ARCH1295	City Campus	Postgraduate	365H Global, Urban and Social Studies	Face-to-Face or Internet	Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2008, Sem 2 2009, Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2012

Course Coordinator: Dr David Downes

Course Coordinator Phone: 52302

Course Coordinator Email: david.downes@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: by request

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

There is no pre- requisite course required

Course Description

This course will examine issues around governance and planning. It will look at recent trends in governance theory, for example managerialism, neo-liberalism, public-private partnerships, and more recently identified forms of third-way and network governance. Specifically the course will address the questions of: What should the role of government be in planning? What should be the role of the private sector? What levels of government are appropriate for which forms of policy setting and implementation? What type of institutions should be given a role in governance practice in planning? To what degree are the varying arrangements democratic and encouraging of citizen participation? Is this at the cost of market efficiency, or are is it possible to reconcile the two? To what extent do different systems and institutions allow for new ideas, adaptability and swift reaction to crises?
In the latter part of the course we will look at a few case studies of differing institutional arrangements in some selected international examples which might be regarded to be at least partially successful. These will be selected to exhibit different styles of governance arrangements in order to explore the range of options available and to critically analyse their effectiveness.
 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will develop the capacity to read and reflect on theoretical literature on the changing nature of governance.
They will be encouraged to make connections between theoretical concepts and everyday reality.
They will develop the capacity to critically analyse the current Australian system and to understand how it relates to, and flows from, theories of governance.
They will be able to develop research skills in exploring some overseas examples.

This course will enable students to explore and understand:

• changes in styles of governance and public policy over time and within Australia,
• how the approach to planning in Australia has altered along with these differing views,
• conflicts and dillemmas around the various roles of the main actors: politicians, planners, developers, citizens under different systems,
• different approaches adopted internationally.

Students will be encouraged to critical reflect on our own planning system.
 

Overview of Learning Activities

Students will attend 12 two-hour sessions, which will include a presentation either from the lecturer or a guest speaker and interactive discussions based around the literature and student preparations.

Overview of Learning Resources

A course reader will be made available with the core readings.

Overview of Assessment

Written assignments of 4,500 words and a seminar presentation.