CD 601 - Organizing for Community Change

Credits: 3

This course will examine the role of civil society in community planning efforts and offer students a comparative approach to planning theories and approaches. It will also focus on change within communities and the roles of government, planners, and citizens in reacting to or shaping change. Students will have an opportunity to explore current issues related to planning and dealing with change by examining controversial practices such as covenants and land trusts, as well as by studying various community responses to change. Students will understand how citizens, firms and governments act to improve their community and region; the structure and implications of power; the relation between social relationships and economic activity, coalition building, concepts of inclusiveness (class, gender, ethnicity, geography), voice, and conflict and its management in communities and regions. The course will cover dimensions of social capital and the context of change. Students will learn to use this knowledge to promote equitable change at the community and regional level. They will study the implications of economic and demographic shifts on strategies and tactics for change and explore various resources for supporting these efforts. This course is available only to graduate students registered in the Community Development specialization.

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