Reading the Informal City: Why and How to Deepen Planners’ Understanding of Informality

Although informality is typically associated with developing countries, this article argues that informal activities are an integral part of U.S. cities and should be addressed in planning curricula. It focuses on planning education and suggests a possible course, which includes a seminar covering a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of planning education and research 2015-12, Vol.35 (4), p.444-454
Main Authors: Mukhija, Vinit, Loukaitou-Sideris, Anastasia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cities
Curricula
Developed countries
Developing countries
Fieldwork
Industrialized nations
Inequality
LDCs
Planners
Planning
Poverty
Students
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Summary:Although informality is typically associated with developing countries, this article argues that informal activities are an integral part of U.S. cities and should be addressed in planning curricula. It focuses on planning education and suggests a possible course, which includes a seminar covering academic literature on informality in both developing and developed countries, and fieldwork-based, case study research by students. It also suggests that the course can be an important avenue for students to understand inequality and poverty and an excellent method for preparing them to think about institutions and regulations in complex and sophisticated ways.
ISSN:0739-456X
1552-6577
DOI:10.1177/0739456X15591586