Course Overview

This graduate course provides an introduction to regional planning, development and analysis. The regionalist tradition represents a distinctive worldview to analyze metropolitan development, envision alternative conceptions and scales of community, and structure institutional responses to environmental, economic and social challenges. We examine the history, institutional practices, idealism and limitations of regional planning. Regional efforts have alternately targeted economic, environmental and social equity goals. Themes include regional economic development, land preservation, regional sustainability efforts, city-suburb relations, water resource management, megaregions, climate adaptation, and transportation infrastructure.

We examine the lack of regional planning in the United States both as American exceptionalism and as myth. We explore the disparities between regional idealism and the actual practice of regional planning and management, as well the divergent views of the region as an economic system, an infrastructural network, an ecological habitat, and an administrative district. Engaging the regional stance challenges us to question whether the city level is always the best scale to plan, map, design, and envision a better urban future.

An additional purpose of the course is to expand your sense of place and enrich your spatial imagination through regional case studies of New York, Metro Detroit, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Atlanta, the European Union and Asian megaregions.

Class Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites for this course. Previous coursework in urban planning, urban studies, local/regional politics, and/or environmental policy would be useful (but not necessary) preparation. Students from other programs (such as architecture, SEAS, public policy, business, social work, civil engineering, etc.) are encouraged to participate. Advanced undergrads with some background in urban planning courses are welcomed. I welcome all students to sit in on first week of class and see if the course is a good fit.

Readings
you can find readings in three different locations:

• Class Canvas site • class readings (usually pdf files) organized by Modules
• eBooks "bookshelf" (contains digital copies of full text books, available through the UM Library. set up a free account). Note: I have put many books on regionalism in this bookshelf, some are required readings, but most are simply available if you have deeper interests in a specific topic.
• via web links (I'll provide the url)
[Note: if the source not listed, the reading is located in Canvas]

see also this Shared Class Google Drive Folder

Assignments
Students are expected to complete all the required readings before the start of class and be ready to actively participate in class discussions. Students will also make group presentations, write five short response papers and one regional mapping/representation exercise. There will be a short final exam. LINK TO ASSIGNMENT PAGE.

Office Hours:
Please sign up for office hours via this google calendar page. Select one or more 20-minute time slots. The default is meeting in person in my campus office (2352 Art & Architecture Bldg). If you prefer to meet via Zoom, you can indicate that when you sign up. If you later can't make your scheduled time, please cancel the appointment via the google calendar. Thank you.

Note: Many students don't take advantage of office hours (or are not sure of their purpose). You may use office hours to talk about a specific assignment, an idea for a presentation, to discuss a reading or an idea from the class, to discuss concerns about keeping up with readings and assignments, to explore other possible courses and disciplines, to talk about your thoughts on urban technology and urban planning, to express frustrations with university culture, etc. Faculty welcome the opportunity to hear from students outside the classroom. All conversations are confidential.

Attendance:
My expectation is that you will attend all classes. If you are going to miss class, as a courtesy you are encouraged to send an email ahead of time to let me know.

I trust that you will find the material sufficiently engaging -- and the classroom culture productively inclusive -- to consistently arrive on time and participate in class discussions. You will be much better prepared if you actively complete the readings before class. Over the years I have observed that students engage class sessions in their own way: some gregarious, others quiet; some excitedly argumentative, others more cautiously curious. Students also bring with them a wide and interesting array of personal stories; family and cultural backgrounds; political, social and religious values and beliefs; and approaches to learning and discussion. Do be mindful of these differences, and the benefits of hearing from many voices in the classroom. (In my first week of planning graduate school, a wiser second-year student said to me: you will likely learn more from your fellow students than from the faculty. I was taken aback by that statement, but later understood the truth in it.)

1. Do the readings before class and be prepared to discuss.
2. Come to class and be ready to engage (learning is a two-way street). 
3. Please put phones completely away. Remember you can check your phones/messages at the end of class…
4. As a courtesy, email me if you will miss class (sdcamp@umich.edu)
5. Academic integrity: do your own work, cite all sources (including AI, etc.). Learn and practice good use of citations (it’s vital to give credit where credit is due).
6. Come chat in instructor office hours (even if you don’t have a specific question)[sign-up online: office hour meetings can happen either in-person or via Zoom]
7. If you are facing challenges with keeping up with the readings, the assignments or the concepts covered in the course, don't hesitate to contact me and we can discuss strategies to get back on track. (My experience, over many years of teaching, is that too many students wait too long before contacting their instructor -- and are invariably relieved when they finally do.)

I will evaluate your assignments based on substantive content, the effective and proper use of source materials (including citing sources), writing/presentation quality, and analytical rigor. Late submissions will lead to point reductions. See assignment page for complete details.

On citations and plagiarism: Students come to university with a wide range of experiences and knowledge with academic writing, including citations and the problem of plagiarism. There are few things that make an instructor more grumpy and discouraged than to encounter plagiarism. And plagiarism is easily avoided. Please do carefully read the web page on academic writing and citations. (And remember that the use of AI to generate text, images, etc. without explicit citations is also a form of plagiarism.) Plagiarism (including the inappropriate use of AI), depending on the severity, can lead to a lower grade or a zero grade, a requirement to redo an assignment, an academic hearing and letter in your file, or other consequences.

• sign up for office hours
• send the instructor an email, or
• use this google form to send anonymous feedback/comments.

REQUIRED STATEMENTS AND POLICIES [2025]

The following are items required for all Taubman College syllabi:

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
In compliance with the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School policy, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations should be made during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Some aspects of this course, the assignments, the in-class activities, and the way the course is usually taught may be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, we can work with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office to help us determine appropriate academic accommodations. SSD (734-763-3000; http://ssd.umich.edu) typically recommends accommodations through a Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations (VISA) form. Any information you provide is private and confidential and will be treated as such.

Taubman College Academic and Professional Student Conduct Policies
The Rackham Graduate School policy states: “Integrity in research and scholarship is a fundamental value of the University of Michigan. It is the responsibility of all students to conduct research and scholarly activities in an ethical manner at all times.” This requires that you are honest in all your course work.

The Taubman College Academic and Professional Student Conduct Policy applies to all Taubman College students as well as non-Taubman College students who take courses within the college. 

Information on sources for assistance in writing 

Encourage your students to use the University’s resources for writing instruction and assistance. For our multilingual students, the ELI faculty offer office hours in our building. Students can seek assistance through the student services team.

The resources of the Sweetland Center for Writing are available for both undergraduate and graduate students. They offer classes, one-­-on-­-one assistance in a variety of modalities, and resource guides. Please provide these links:

Sweetland Writing Center: http://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland

Link to resource guides (designed for undergraduates, but even grad students might find them useful): http://www.lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduate/writingguides

Taubman College Compact

The College Compact is a description of the environment we wish to create and the behaviors we hope our community members will exhibit.

Statement on Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

Taubman College is committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of its students. Studies and surveys indicate clearly that a variety of issues, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, and depression, directly impact student academic performance. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of support, please reach out to any of the following for assistance:

• Aniko Varga is a CAPS Embedded Psychologist who offers counseling here at Taubman College (anikov@med.umich.edu).

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can be reached at (734) 764-8312 and https://caps.umich.edu/ during and after hours, on weekends and holidays. When precautions for COVID-19 are in place, please contact CAPS at caps-uofm@umich.edu or schedule online here: https://caps.umich.edu/article/caps-initial-consultation-request

• For medications, contact University Health Services (UHS) at (734) 764-8320 and https://www.uhs.umich.edu/mentalhealthsvcs, or for alcohol or drug concerns, see www.uhs.umich.edu/aodresources. 

• For an extensive listing of mental health resources available on and off campus, visit: http://umich.edu/~mhealth/. 

• To get help right away, if you or someone you know is in a crisis situation, please do one of the following: Call 911 or Call (734) 996-4747 (U-M Hospital Psychiatric Emergency).  

• If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is a courageous thing to do for yourself and those who care about you. If the source of your stressors is academic, please contact me so that we can find solutions together. For personal concerns, U-M offers many resources, some of which are listed at Resources for Student Well-being.

Statement on Audio and Video Recordings and Protecting Privacy

At times, class activities may be recorded to share privately with students who are unable to participate in class. The recording of lectures, discussions, and other similar course-related activities raises important privacy concerns. Instructors must balance the need to include all class members against the need to protect privacy concerns. Recording may stifle discussion and interfere with the free exchange of ideas, particularly when discussing sensitive subjects. Instructors may choose to have some sessions not recorded in order to encourage the free exchange of ideas, or they may choose to pause recording when discussion of sensitive subjects begins. Instructors will share recordings only with members of the class through a platform that is only accessible by members, such as Canvas, to ensure that only members of the class in which the recording was made can access the recording. Faculty should take steps, such as preventing downloading capability, in order to protect the privacy of the members. Recordings and chat sessions are private and cannot be shared outside the classroom. Sharing recordings or chat sessions with anyone outside of the class will be considered academic misconduct. Course activities may be audio or video recorded and made available to other students in this course. As part of your participation in this course, you may be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, please contact the instructor the first week of class, or as soon as you enroll in the course, to discuss alternative arrangements. The university provides additional resources on recordings and privacy concerns.

Accommodations for Religious Holidays and Observances

The guidance issued by the Office of the Provost is as follows: “Although the University of Michigan, as an institution, does not observe religious holidays, it has long been the University's policy that every reasonable effort should be made to help students avoid negative academic consequences when their religious obligations conflict with academic requirements. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance shall be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent. Such notice must be given by the drop/add deadline of the given term. Students who are absent on days of examinations or class assignments shall be offered an opportunity to make up the work, without penalty, unless it can be demonstrated that a make-up opportunity would interfere unreasonably with the delivery of the course. Should disagreement arise over any aspect of this policy, the parties involved should contact the Department Chair, the Dean of the School, or the Ombudsperson. Final appeals will be resolved by the Provost.”