Active learning ideas
Urban social issues and housing focus on the 'human' side of the city, examining the challenges of social segregation, the persistence of informal settlements, and the quest for affordable housing. Students investigate how the physical design of a city can either foster social cohesion or exacerbate divisions. This topic requires a sensitive and nuanced look at how different groups, based on income, ethnicity, or migrant status, experience the city differently.
Activity 01
Students take on roles as members of a town council who must decide how to allocate a limited number of new housing units among diverse applicants (e.g., a young family, a low-income single parent, an elderly couple). They must balance 'need' with 'social mix' goals.
What makes an urban development strategy sustainable?
Activity 02
Stations feature case studies of informal settlements like Dharavi (Mumbai) or Rocinha (Rio). Students must identify the 'assets' of these communities (e.g., social networks, informal economy) alongside the 'challenges' (e.g., lack of sanitation, tenure insecurity).
How can cities manage waste and resources more effectively?
Activity 03
Students look at photos of 'void decks' and 'sky gardens' in Singapore. They pair up to discuss how these specific architectural features are designed to encourage people from different backgrounds to meet and interact, then share their observations.
What is the role of urban governance in achieving sustainability?
Templates
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A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Slums are just places of poverty and crime.
Many informal settlements are vibrant hubs of entrepreneurship and strong social support networks. Using a 'strengths-based' analysis of a slum case study helps students see these communities as complex social systems rather than just 'problems' to be cleared.
Providing 'enough' houses is the same as solving the housing crisis.
Housing must also be affordable, accessible to jobs, and socially inclusive. Peer-led discussions on 'what makes a house a home' can help students distinguish between the 'quantity' and 'quality' of urban housing solutions.
Methods used in this brief
Urbanisation and Urban Processes
Students analyze the drivers and patterns of urbanization, particularly in the developing world. They examine the demographic and economic processes that fuel urban growth.
8 methodologies
Liveability in Urban Areas
This topic explores the concept of urban liveability and the challenges of providing adequate housing, transport, and services. Students evaluate the experiences of different social groups in the city.
8 methodologies