PLG 597Q Public Participation and Dispute Resolution

Planning graduate students from the course presenting the importance of community engagement and best practices to the Oro Valley Youth Advisory Council for their final project.

PLG 497Q/597Q Public Participation and Dispute Resolution

Public participation is a fundamental component of the practice and profession of urban planning. Vibrant and inclusive civic engagement is an essential part of a healthy democratic society and the basis of the economic, social, and even environmental success of communities. This course explores the history of public participation, its evolving theoretical basis in the planning profession, and the practice of public participation. Challenges and opportunities in the practice of public participation will also be explored, including a focus on inclusive participation and emerging technologies used in public participation. The concepts and techniques covered in this course are applicable in a wide variety of planning contexts and are intended to benefit students with diverse professional interests.

Course Objectives
After completing the course requirements, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and legal reasons to utilize public participation in planning decision making processes,
  • Critically analyze situations requiring input and utilize a wide variety of public participation and conflict resolution methods and techniques best suited for the situation,
  • Create and conduct an inclusive public participation process, including (1) analyzing the decision to be made to determine whether public participation is needed and for what purpose (2) planning the process, and (3) implementing the process.