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Cities Without Slums (ABPL90279)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2024
Overview
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Urbanization can be a generative force of our time. For the first time in human history, more people live in cities and towns than in rural areas. Around 56 percent of the world’s population is urbanized (2017 figures) and the United Nations predicts that between now and 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people will be born in or move to cities. This opens new and exciting opportunities for social mobility and economic productivity. Citizens and visitors alike in urban areas now have greater access to education, health, employment and transport. However, while cities and towns are recognized as engines of national economic growth and centres of innovation, poorly planned and mismanaged urbanization can further reinforce the already present wicked challenges of poverty, informality, affordable housing, climate change, and inequity.
For instance, it is estimated that one in every seven people (i.e. more than 1 billion people) live in slums and unplanned settlements around the world - lacking affordable and secure housing and basic services such as clean water supply and sanitation. The UN estimates that 227 million people moved out of slum conditions from 2000-2010 yet the number of people living in slums continues to grow. It is projected that by 2030 two billion persons will live in slums.
There is a widening participation of actors and agencies - governments, the private sector, civil society and poor communities themselves becoming crucial players in improving and upgrading existing settlements. Moreover, there is an increasing number of initiatives across sectors to better plan for and accommodate the urban poor’s right to the city, to create better cities for all.
This subject has four underlying themes, namely:
- To explain the process of urbanization, the importance of housing, and policies that give rise to slum formation and the persistence of slums.
- To make use of practice-oriented research, employs case studies from around the globe to explore government-led, community-led, and community/local government partnership approaches to slum upgrading and the delivery of land and provision of basic services in the context of urban governance.
- To examine cross-cutting topics that underwrite inclusive and sustainable, well-managed cities, including regulatory frameworks, security of tenure, housing finance, land use and transport interaction and linkages, and affordable house designs.
- Analyse emerging ‘best-practice’ over the years and the roles of institutions in influencing and/or formulating national urbanization, housing and slum upgrading policies.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Analyse the complex city-level challenges, management and governance issues pertaining to affordable land and housing delivery options for low-income households, with a focus on slum upgrading.
- Evaluate slum upgrading entry points, alternative approaches and processes, and strengths and limitations, to tackle inequality and support urban development for all.
- Apply knowledge of urban governance, slum upgrading and housing programmes that address the multi-dimensional factors of urban poverty drawn from cases studies from around the globe (with an emphasis on the Asia Pacific Region).
- Reflect on diverse perspectives of actors and agencies in espousing the right to the city, shaping urban policies and promising practices to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Generic skills
- Gain critical reading, thinking, debating and problem solving skills
- Conduct research and analysis of scientific and policy evidence
- Acquire written and verbal communication skills
- Acquire the ability to work individually as well as collaboratively in teams
- Reflective practice skills
Last updated: 13 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Urban studies, development studies, public policy.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 13 February 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Group research and presentations (Please see below)
| End of the teaching period | 40% |
Individual multi-modal essay on slum upgrading (Please see below)
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 40% |
Individual daily critical reflection
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 20% |
Additional details
1- Group research and presentations worth 40% in total including :
- Group Written Report: 2000 words (Team of 5), due last day of intensive week
- Group Presentation (20 minutes : presentation + Q&A), due last day of intensive week (25%)
- Peer and self assessment, due last day of intensive week (5%)
2- Individual Essays in total worth 40% including:
- Abstract: 200-word summary of the proposed essay, during the intensive week
- Individual Essay: 2000 words, topic is based on approved Abstract, due two weeks after the last day of intensive, 40%.
Last updated: 13 February 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2024
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject is taught in seminar style.
Last updated: 13 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Urban Planning Course Master of Urban Design Major Tailored Specialisation Major Development Major Development Major Tailored Specialisation Major Tailored Specialisation - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 13 February 2024