PLAN3002W

Housing—its planning and development—is both influenced by and influences transport planning and provision. Concurrently, marketisation, neoliberal globalisation, individualisation and financialisation have drastically altered the production and provision of housing in many societies. Consequently, many cities worldwide face issues such as unaffordable housing, displacement, segregation, and homelessness. There is an urgent need to reconsider housing policies and the roles of planning to bring about more equitable housing futures.

This module provides students with a critical introduction to the conceptual and methodological tools needed to study housing, housing policies, and planning interventions. It situates the housing question within the broad parameters of political economy and urban geography. The module is divided into two parts. Part I discusses the different meanings of housing and their implications for housing policies and planning. It also introduces tools for analysing housing policies and policies in general. Part II explores pressing housing challenges from both production and consumption perspectives, aiming to unravel the complexities of housing issues. It encourages students to question the role of policies and planning in causing many housing problems and to think critically about how housing policies and planning interventions can be reimagined and redesigned to address these issues. The module will draw upon examples from both within and outside China to help students understand the diversity of housing systems and the common patterns among them.