Urban development theory, policy and practiceýprovides a background for critical understandingýof the urban development process and itsýtheoretical underpinnings in developed andýdeveloping countries. It looks at cities withinýthe intellectual framework of urban planningýtheory and policy, and international developmentýtheory, paying special attention to regionalýperspectives. It examines approaches of nationalýand international agencies to understand howýdevelopment theories translate into donor policiesýand how they are operationalized in the field.ýCase studies are used to examine the evolution ofýcities in different contexts. The courseýencourages debates of politics and planning inýcities from the perspectives of theory, policy andýpractice. Topics include urban planning,ýpostmodernism, global population change andýurbanization.