This course aims to develop students’ critical understanding of major debates in urban planning and development through the close reading and discussion of key academic texts. Emphasis is placed on analytical thinking, conceptual clarity, and the ability to evaluate planning theories and practices in relation to broader social, political, and economic contexts. Weekly discussions, supported by student-produced "conceptual maps", are designed to strengthen students’ skills in synthesising arguments, identifying conceptual frameworks, and tracing connections across themes and scales. In the final stage of the course, students are expected to consolidate their critical perspectives by preparing a "propaganda poster" that articulates an informed and reflexive position derived from the cumulative course discussions.

 Particular attention is given to contemporary urbanisation and development processes by foregrounding critical perspectives such as political ecology and degrowth, which problematise dominant growth-oriented, technocratic, and resource-intensive planning paradigms.