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The objectives of this course are to provide students with a solid knowledge of the evolution of planning thinking, and of the different theoretical and practical approaches, as well as of the nature of the complex and cross disciplinary contemporary debate.

The articulation and the critical dialogue between the different theories and conceptions of space and society will enable the development of the critical capacities of abstraction and autonomy of the PhD student, exploring in particular the relationships between contemporary theories and practices. The acquired skills will surely be most relevant to address the meaning, purpose, context and limitations of current planning research.

1 - The concept of theory.

2 - Typology of planning theories.

3 - City, urban visions and utopias. Forerunners and modern utopias.

4 - Development of the Systemic or Rational Comprehensive Planning. Procedural Rationality in Planning Theories.

5 - Incremental Planning: Engagement and Adjustment. Theories of Mixed Scanning and Muddling Through.

6 - Advocacy planning. Community-based planning.

7 - Marxist currents and Critical Theory. Political Economy and Marxism.

8 - Pragmatism and Neo-liberalism in Planning Theory.

9 - The city and the postmodern thought. From outopia to eutopia. The postmodern utopias: sustainable, neo-traditionalist, disorder, multiplicity, space-time dialectics. Environmentalism and Ecological Rationalism. Ecosystem vision of cities. The paradigm and criticism of sustainability.

10 - Collaborative planning. Communicative rationality. Participatory practices.

11 - Social justice planning

12 - Concluding Perspective. Traces of the evolution of planning theories. Theories and practices. The evaluation in planning.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE SYLLABUS COHERENCE WITH THE CURRICULAR UNIT'S OBJECTIVES:

This course is fundamental to all PhD students that intend to research on advanced planning related matters. The critical review of the main planning theories and approaches provides a solid background of planning knowledge as well as critical and autonomy skills, essential to the research activity.

The learning process is based on the provision of introductory theoretical classes, involving the students, and covering the main themes of the course programme, previously prepared through the assignment of selected individual readings and the encouragement of group discussions. Some of the debates should address current planning problems and issues, as well as planning policies, plans and programmes, exploring the role of the different stakeholders, the analysis methods and decision-making processes articulated with the main theoretical approaches to planning. The course evaluation is based on the participation of students in the presentations and class debates coupled with an essay addressing a topical issue within the scope of the course and the likely research subject of the thesis.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE COHERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND THE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The complex and abstract nature of the themes covered by this course recommend the adoption of a learning methodology based on the dialogue and discussion of specific case studies to make evident the relevance of the different theoretical perspectives in planning.