Urban Management & Governance in Developing Countries
Management of processes of rapid urban growth & change in cities of developing countries. Introduction to formal & informal elements of urban management systems; exploration of alternative approaches to dealing with problems arising from rapid urban growth.
The focus of this course is on the origins and development of urban centers and their governance. The course deals with examination and analysis of how cities have evolved through the understanding of their structures and powers of government and regulatory interventions that have been implemented in response to decline or the need to improve the quality of life in cities. It also introduces to the principles of urban governance and Management and examines the political, social, and economic environment in which decisions pertaining to urban centers occur.
Besides, this course will examine urban space both historically and cross-culturally. In this context, the course discusses the importance of cities to the economic, cultural, and political well-being of modern societies and examines how forces such as industrialization, decentralization, and suburbanization affect the structure, size, finance and function of cities. We will discuss classic theories and recent models of urban governance discourse in urban studies as we look to answer questions like, “how and why cities develop and change, and who lives in cities and why?” By the end of the course, it is hoped that students gain a new understanding of the significant role that cities play in the vitality of urban centers of the world in general and Ethiopian cases in particular.
Moreover, this course provides an overall understanding of the key aspects pertaining to urbanization patterns, good urban governance, devolution of powers, development of urban planning, poverty, community participation in city development and innovative illustrations through case studies. The course is a combination of assigned readings, lectures, in-class discussions, and a series of assignments and assessment mechanisms.
Learning Objectives
- Analyse the complex urban challenges in, the nature of, alternative approaches to and key future trends in the governance of cities in emerging economies
- Develop a critical understanding of good urban governance and the extent to which this supports sustainable and socially inclusive cities.
- Manage and/or work with a group of individuals in a team-based project to better address urban challenges in cities .
- Gain skills to inquire from, interact and communicate with a diverse set of actors and agencies in the management and governance of cities in development.
- Relate how ideas and concepts in urban governance and management of cities connect and integrate with one’s own life and work experiences