290109 VU Contemporary Challenges in Urban Development (2025S)

This course addresses the complexity of sustainable urban development by critically analyzing the role of impact assessment frameworks. Impact indicators and related frameworks, such as the Theory of Change, have emerged as a key tool in assessing city's contributions to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, Municipal level sustainability strategies, and district level initiatives. Accordingly, in this course, students will develop a critical lens to analyze impact assessment frameworks and question the ability of such to contribute to a holistic approach to sustainability, which includes the social, environmental, institutional, infrastructural, and economic spheres equally. Such will be done by asking questions such as, sustainability for whom, where, when, of what, and why, in order to formulate more equitable, inclusive, and integrated sustainability related policies, programs, and action plans that balance short and long-term goals.

Following the development of student’s theoretical knowledge and critical lens, they will create and implement their own Theory of Change frameworks, with a case study of their choice. This will enable students to work with a local organization, initiative, etc., and develop their sustainable urban development planning skills. Topics can cover, among many options, challenges related to climate change, demographic change, digital change, care, justice, and socio-economic equity. Such will include the development of specific impact assessment indicators and appropriate methods. The Theory of Change framework and research results are then to be creatively compiled into a format which prioritizes science-to-public communication.