Theory and Methods

This course introduces and critically examines theories, concepts and understandings relating to urban development and resilience. The course begins by examining the nature of urban vulnerability. It looks at what constitutes basic needs, and how meeting basic needs alone is not enough for a sustainable livelihood. It explores how poorer communities build up and manage tangible and intangible assets, and how assets are used both to build capabilities and to reduce vulnerability to shocks and stresses.

The nature of governance is examined, and crucially how poorer people’s access to resources are helped or hindered by systems of control and relative discrimination, including gender differences and the significance of rights based approaches.

The course is structured around an approach where people are placed in the centre. With this as the starting point, the course explores programming approaches commonly used in urban development and resilience programmes.

By the end of the module students should be able to:

1. Understand the linkages between and principles of key concepts including vulnerability, capacity, assets, access, rights and governance
2. Apply a theoretical framework for understanding and critically analysing development and emergency interventions and the linkages between them
3. Gain an appreciation of development and urban resilience practice from the perspective of those affected.
4. Demonstrate an ability to understand and critically review appropriate methods.

The course combines lectures, seminars and group work with role play simulation.