Basic Modules
BASIC1: Introduction to PPL – Theoretical fundamentals and practical implications
BASIC1: Introduction to PPL explores participatory planning, focusing on its theory, history, and practice. It positions public participation as crucial yet debated in policymaking and spatial planning. While seen as democratic, it’s criticized for being tokenistic or co-opted. Arnstein’s ‘ladder of participation’ highlights power redistribution challenges, showing professional and political dominance over citizens. This framework examines participatory practices, emphasizing power dynamics and ethics. The module traces participatory planning from top-down to collaborative models, noting early technocratic focus and minimal public input. Advocacy and equity planning shifted focus to disadvantaged groups, challenging unified public interest. Transactive and radical planning stressed grassroots participation. Collaborative planning in the 1990s aimed for consensus but often failed to address power imbalances.
The module centers on power, ethics, and participatory planning, framing planning as power-laden with actors navigating complex terrains. Power dynamics appear in participation spaces shaped by global to local contexts. Planners must critically engage with these dynamics, using power concepts to ethically handle inclusion and exclusion. This aligns with ‘phronesis’, emphasizing context-sensitive judgments. The module concludes by advocating planners as reflective practitioners, scrutinizing assumptions and methods. Drawing on Schön’s reflective practice, it argues planners need tacit knowledge and critical inquiry to handle uncertainties and value conflicts. Reflective practice can transform power structures, fostering equitable participatory outcomes. Participatory planning is presented as an ethical endeavour requiring reflection, adaptability, and commitment to democratic principle
Keywords:
Participatory Planning; Public Participation; Democratic governance; Decision-making Processes; Theoretical Foundations; Ethical Matters
Download Links:
Greek
Italian
Bulgarian
Polish
BASIC2: Introduction to digital tools for PPL
Digital participation tools have become pivotal in enhancing stakeholder engagement across various sectors, including urban planning, policy-making, and community development. Digital tools provide multiple opportunities for stakeholder participation and can be used online or locally. Digital tools for participatory planning enable stakeholders to engage in a project via a digital interface or otherwise rely on digital technology to function. These tools enable inclusive participation by bridging geographical and demographic gaps, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and considered. This leads to more informed decision-making, greater transparency, and a stronger sense of community ownership in the outcomes of participatory processes.
Moreover, the use of digital participation tools fosters a more dynamic and collaborative environment.Many types of digital tools can be used for stakeholder participation, and they can be evaluated from different perspectives, e.g. on their functionality, flexibility and value, on the level of participation they allow for, or the technology the use. The module is intended to familiarize students with the main concepts of digital participatory planning tools and provide basic knowledge in a variety of topics. In more detail, it aims to help students:
- develop a basic understanding of the concept of digital PPL tools
- familiarize themselves with the different types and categories of digital PPL tools
- identify and effectively use appropriate digital PPL tools
- Understand the value and potential use of different digital PPL tools
- comprehend the challenges in the implementation of digital PPL tools
Keywords:
Digital Tools; Participatory Planning; Citizen Engagement; Inclusive Participation; Collaboration
Download Links:
Greek
Italian
Bulgarian
Polish
BASIC3: Introduction to management skills and techniques for participatory planning
Management is the integrating force in all organised activity. It ensures that all necessary resources – human, physical, material and financial – are effectively used, organised and coordinated to achieve objectives, achieve desired results and optimise outcomes. Management is primarily concerned with solving problems creatively and effectively.
Individuals are not naturally able to assess the risk of their choices, as they are influenced by a whole cognitive and cultural background that leads them to overestimate or underestimate the value of a possible decision. Complex decisions can benefit from a group approach, where elements that are not taken into account by the individual can be considered by the group and become possible barriers to predicting an error. However, working in a group can have positive effects, such as ‘synergy’, or negative effects, such as ‘social loafing’. Good management is believed to have a positive effect on people’s motivation and the development of creative solutions.
The Module aims to (i) introduce students and learners to the concept of participatory group dynamics; (ii) discuss the fundamental process of organisational management, specifically how to plan, organise, direct/lead, and control to achieve goals efficiently and effectively; (iii) explain the distinctive aspects of management in participatory planning, (iv) familiarize students and learners with the holistic skills needed to manage PPL processes and (v) equip students and learners with basic managerial techniques for PPL. The content focuses on the fundamentals of management and decision making, examines the behaviour of people in group settings and the emergence of group dynamics, and discusses the specific nature of participatory planning management and possible techniques for managing the process effectively.
Keywords:
Management; Management Process; Decision-Making; Groups And Group Behaviour; Group Dynamics; Management Skills; Managerial Techniques For PPL
Download Links:
Greek
Italian
Bulgarian
Polish
