TRACK 10: Planning in Weak Institutional Environment

 

Co-chairs: Jose-Miguel Fernandez Guell, Pantelis Skayanis

Many countries and regions struggle with weak institutional environment. In some countries, institutional planning effectively controls only a fraction of development. In other countries, shrinking public budgets negatively affect the operation capacity of planning. Under those circumstances, questions arise about the opportunities and limitations for undertaking urban planning. Congress participants are encouraged to explore some of the following questions.

• What kind of contexts characterizes a weak institutional environment? Assess the importance of political system, legal framework, economic model or social capital among other contexts.
• Are there differentiated weak institutional environments so as to establish diverse typologies? If so, can we segment urban planning policies and methods according to those typologies?
• Is acceptance of informal planning processes a sound solution for those cases? Would a trend towards informal planning be another feature of governance? How would be the responsibility for planning and development distributed in these cases?
• What kind of governance model would be appropriate for countries with weak public institutions? Discuss the role of political leadership and technocracy, stakeholders’ involvement, citizen participation, inter-governmental coordination, public-private partnership and Third Sector involvement.
• Are the responsibilities and commitments of actors in the weak institutional context different from a “standard” institutional environment?
• Can “smart technologies” reinforce weak institutions or build institutional capacity?