Session Proponent: Assoc. Prof Doug Hill, Co-ordinator, Master of International Development and Planning (MIDP) degree, University of Otago.

Session Contributors: Michelle Thompson-Fawcett (Otago); Others welcome

As greater proportions of the people of the Global South come to live in urban and peri-urban areas, it is increasingly imperative that Planning as both an academic discipline and a community of practitioners acknowledges and responds through holistic, decolonial, and contextually grounded approaches to planning research, practice and education. Those working within Planning are grappling with a multitude of challenges in the Global South, not least the climate crisis that is intensifying the marginalisation of large numbers of urban dwellers and increasing their exposure to a variety of natural hazards (Butcher et al, 2021; Araos et al 2017). However, traditional planning approaches, that are often rooted in the experiences and practices of Western urbanism, have struggled to adequately address the challenges and opportunities presented by the Global South (Randolph and Storper, 2023). Many commentators have noted how processes of knowledge diffusion and policy transfer to cities and local governments in the Global South often rely upon a set of problematic assumptions about the applicability of concepts and examples from cities of the Global North (Healey, 2011, 2013).  Indeed, the proliferation of global urban agendas in recent years demonstrates how universalising approaches to planning sustainable and inclusive urban environments will always be transformed by inter alia, donor relations, local priorities, the workings of political institutions, and the influence of social relations (Blanc and Cotella, 2019). 

This session seeks contributors interested in drawing upon insights from Development Studies to enliven the diverse and vibrant planning practices of the Global South (Gillespie and Mitlin 2023). It begins from the assertion that a closer dialogue between Planning and Development Studies creates opportunities to transform urban environments in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and enhance climate resilience. The session welcomes contributions from those involved in the intersection of Planning and Development Studies as a researcher, practitioner, educator or policymaker.

Session Objectives

• Highlight the importance of recognizing and valuing the diverse and innovative approaches to Planning and Development emerging from the Global South. Identify strategies for knowledge exchange and collaboration between planners from the Global North and South.
• Discuss the role of decolonization in rethinking planning paradigms and prioritising the needs of marginalized communities.
• Explore how the incorporation of Development Studies approaches to Planning can foster climate resilience and adaptation in urban areas while respecting and enhancing cultural and social specificities.
• Consider the implications of these critiques and perspectives for planning education, including the need to diversify curricula, incorporate decolonial methodologies, and strengthen interdisciplinary connections with fields like Development Studies.