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Balanced Development Module

This module will examine advanced research and theory on the themes of strategic spatial planning and development. The module will consist of 24 hours of intensive seminars and workshops blocked into 6 hours of contact time per day over four days. The first block of 12 hours will be hosted over two consecutive days by NIRSA at NUI Maynooth and the second two day 12 hour block will be held in the Department of Geography at Mary Immaculate College at the University of Limerick. Each daily session will be led by a specialist in the relevant theme and will investigate a selected theme through discussion of pre-supplied readings, a seminar presentation with follow-up discussions, and associated breakout workshops designed to explore the key issues identifies in the readings and the seminar in considerable depth. Participants will be sent the selected readings at least two weeks in advance of the blocked relevant sessions.

The module is organized by Brendan Bartley (NUI Maynooth) and Des McCafferty (MIC, UL) in collaboration with Dr. Michael Murray (QUB, Planning), Dr. Brendan O Keefe (MIC, UL), Dr. David Counsell (UCC), Dr. Proinnsias Breathnach and Dr. Chris Van Egeraat (NUI Maynooth). Additional module inputs will be provided by Prof. Rob Kitchin, Dr. Delphine Ancien, Dr. Cian O Callaghan and Dr. Declan Curran (NUI Maynooth).

Module Summary and Calendar

Theme W1: Regional development theory, problems, policy (PB, CVE and BB)

Regions in the globalised economy: theories (neoclassical / supply side, export base / demand side etc) and contemporary processes of regional development (2 hours) PB
Contemporary regional problems / disparities – Ireland and Europe (2 hours) CVE
Evolution of regional policy and regional planning in Europe: the emergence of strategic spatial planning (2 hours) BB
Location: NUI Maynooth, 30th March 2009

Theme W2: Balanced Regional Development: the NSS and the RDS (MM and DCo)

Balanced Regional Development – the concept and its application (4 hours) MM
The application of strategic spatial planning in Ireland and the UK (2 hours) DCo
Location: NUI Maynooth, 31th March 2009

Theme W3: Functional regions and the urban system (DM and PB)

Concepts and methodologies for delimitation of functional regions: the City-Region (C-R) and the Polycentric Urban Region (PUR) (2 hours) DM and PB
City-regions and multi-level governance (2 hours) (DA, CoC)
Linking recreational/sports Infrastructure thresholds and Functional Urban Areas. (2 hours) DCu
Location: NUI Maynooth, 23rd April 2009

Theme W4: Rural development and planning in Europe and Ireland (BO'K)

Rural development and planning in Europe and Ireland (6 hours) BO’K
Location: NUI Maynooth, 24th April 2009

Assignment / Assesment

The module will be assessed on the basis of active participation in the seminar discussions and workshops. This will account for 50% of the total marks. The remaining 50% of marks will be awarded for a position paper (5,000 words maximum) derived from the module themes and submitted within three weeks of the last module session.