Understanding the Disposition of Urban Planning Students Toward Social Justice and Equity Themes

Kirk E. Harris

doi:10.1177/2158244015607757

Abstract

This research surveys how graduate level urban planning students think about social justice and equity issues and how academic instruction in urban planning affects the disposition of students toward these issues and themes in the context of their development as urban planning professionals. Although the quantitative findings did not demonstrate that the graduate curriculum and instruction had any appreciable impact on student understanding and navigation of equity and social justice themes, qualitative evidence did suggest that students are understanding and care about issues related to social justice and equity and were interested in incorporating those issues into their professional practice. This research also suggests that graduate academic instruction may fall short in supporting students with the useful integration of social justice and equity issues into their professional practice.

Highlights

IntroductionWithin the advocacy planning approach, often referred to as the “progressive planning” approach (Clavel, 1986), there exists a fundamental set of beliefs that value democratic principles of inclusion and participation and encourage planners to play an active role in creating socially and economically just and sustainable communities
To prepare urban planning students to effectively address equity and social justice considerations in their professional practice, there must be an understanding of their fundamental opinions, beliefs, and values with respect to equity and social justice
Student responses to the closed-ended questions were assessed as being low, moderate, or high in terms of social justice activism based on how supportive the student was of the social justice and equity theme presented in Questions 1 to 6

Summary

Introduction

Within the advocacy planning approach, often referred to as the “progressive planning” approach (Clavel, 1986), there exists a fundamental set of beliefs that value democratic principles of inclusion and participation and encourage planners to play an active role in creating socially and economically just and sustainable communities. In 1965, a period of moral and social reckoning in America, Paul Davidoff posited this thought about the role of planners in promoting democratic and participatory principles in planning: The recommendation that city planners represent and plead the plans of many interest groups is founded upon the need to establish an effective urban democracy, one in which citizens may be able to play an active role in the process of deciding public policy. The ideals of inclusiveness, democracy and public participation remain fundamental to communitybased planning. (p. 332)

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Conclusion