Course content

The core purpose of the course is to explore core skills on community based fieldwork, research and practice and to build critical self-awareness of the role of the urban practitioner in challenging environments. To these ends the course immerses students in a marginalised urban environment of a low or middle income country or in Norway to undertake a real time situational assessment, and from that to develop action plans. Working to a terms of reference, students undertake participatory assessments and engage in the ‘messy reality’ of urban living in order to gauge insights into the complexities of urban development and informality. Key issues to explore include the role of key actors, uses of land, space and infrastructure, nature of governance systems (formal and informal) and coping strategies of community groups.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The candidate will achieve an advanced understanding of critical issues in complex urban environments through close interaction with local communities and institutions.
Students will have a critical understanding of the various facets of urban informality, an asset based understanding of poverty, livelihood choices and strategic action planning.
Candidates will develop an awareness of the value of local and contextual knowledge in designing action and strategies.

Skills: The candidate will learn methods of participatory research, design and problem formulation in a real life setting.
The students will be able to synthesize the empirical material and develop proposals for action planning and strategic change in close cooperation with the local communities.
The candidate will be able to work effectively in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural teams.
The students will develop skills to communicate their professional and personal standpoints with varied societal groups.


General competency: The students will develop an ability to navigate complex urban settings through interaction with stakeholders and institutions.
The candidates will reflect on their role as individuals and professionals and take an ethical stance in face of competing needs and interests.

Learning methods and activities

This course involves an intensive field research in a marginalized urban neighborhood. Close group work is a condition since the participants cooperate with formal and informal institutions as well as local partners. The foundation for the project work is laid during the introductory seminars at NTNU, Trondheim. Lectures, seminars and team-work is undertaken with local resource-people and teachers. Through its composition of participants (Norwegian, Nordic and European students, International students enrolled in the program for Urban Ecological Planning, exchange students) the course provides both cross-cultural and interdisciplinary learning. The course involves an optional field work in a low or middle income country for a period of approximately 3 months or alternatively a similar field work in an urban neighborhood in Norway.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Completed three years basic bachelor courses in a relevant field. The course must be taken together with courses AAR4820 Methods and Reflections and AAR5210 Current Challenges in Urban Practice.

Course materials

Indicative readings include:
Hamdi N (2010) The Placemaker's Guide to Building Community (Tools for Community Planning), Earthscan, London
Hamdi N and Goethert R (1997) Action Planning for Cities: A Guide to Community Practice Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Altrock, U. (2012). Conceptualising informality: Some thoughts on the way towards generalisation. Urban informalities: Reflections on the formal and informal, 171-194.