Introduction:
Urban development and planning practice and experience in Palestine which stemmed back to mid 19th Century had passed through various changes and developments in terms of characteristics, policies, principles, and management.
In addition, the urban planning system in Palestine seems to be unique in its composition and context. This uniqueness is related to the fact that planning practice was controlled and experienced by external forces (or foreigners) and not by native bodies (the Palestinians themselves).
This, of course, is due to the long period of mandate and occupation for the Palestinian land by several nations.
The current interim & temporary stage that the Palestinian society in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) (West Bank & Gaza Strip) passes through, particularly after signing the Oslo Agreement in 1994 and the followed Israeli partial withdraws from the OPT, despite
- the continuous land confiscation for building Israeli settlements and by-pass roads
- the reoccupation of most of the Palestinian cities and villages since the beginning of
(Second Intifada) in 2000,
- the resulted destruction of houses and infrastructure
- the construction of the Separation Wall along the West Bank
Course Objectives:
The main objective of this class is to introduce the urban planning features in Palestine since the late 19th century to the present time.
The course will track the evolution of the planning profession including the planning practices and their driving policies & regulations since the Ottoman period (before 1917), passing through the British Mandate (1917-1948), the Jordanian Rule (1948-1967), the Israeli Occupation period (1967-1993), & ending with the Palestinian Authority period (1993-present time).
Each planning period will be studied by investigating three features:
- Geopolitical Changes
- Planning Regulations & Laws
- Challenges for the planning practice:
- Political challenges;
- Technical challenges;
- Socioeconomic and cultural challenges;
All topics will be discussed in a broader context of colonial & post-colonial planning & planning contested space under high geopolitical instability.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs)
At the end of this course students will be able to:
(1) demonstrate an understanding of planning laws that have been adopted from different
governments in Palestine for the last century;
(2) demonstrate an understanding of the dialectic relation between geopolitics & urban and
regional planning;
(3) understand the challenges of the urban planning profession & practices within Palestinian
context: political challenges, technical challenges, socioeconomic & cultural challenges;
(4) understand the physical planning prospects in historical Palestine (occupied Palestine in
1948, West Bank & Gaza).
COURSE SYLABUS:
Weeks 1 & 2 : Introduction:
- Palestine through history
- Overview of the Palestinian Case
Weeks 3 & 4 : Land Ownership & Land Registration in Palestine
Weeks 5 & 6 : Local Administration & Local Government in Palestine
Week 7 : Midterm Exam
Weeks 8 - 11 : Planning, Organization & Development in Palestine: Historical Development,
Constraints & Threats
Weeks 12 & 13 : Current & Future Planning Practices
Weeks 14 & 15 : Presentation of Research / Term Papers
Week 16 : Final Exam
Course Requirements & Grading:
Midterm Exam : %25
Researches & Papers : %40
Final Exam : %35
Course Sources & References:
(1) Compulsory Sources:
- Course Lectures, Notes & Discussion.
- Distributed publications (papers, studies, reports, etc.).
(2) Secondary/Additional Sources:
- English References.
- Arabic References.
Urban development and planning practice and experience in Palestine which stemmed back to mid 19th Century had passed through various changes and developments in terms of characteristics, policies, principles, and management.
In addition, the urban planning system in Palestine seems to be unique in its composition and context. This uniqueness is related to the fact that planning practice was controlled and experienced by external forces (or foreigners) and not by native bodies (the Palestinians themselves).
This, of course, is due to the long period of mandate and occupation for the Palestinian land by several nations.
The current interim & temporary stage that the Palestinian society in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) (West Bank & Gaza Strip) passes through, particularly after signing the Oslo Agreement in 1994 and the followed Israeli partial withdraws from the OPT, despite
- the continuous land confiscation for building Israeli settlements and by-pass roads
- the reoccupation of most of the Palestinian cities and villages since the beginning of
(Second Intifada) in 2000,
- the resulted destruction of houses and infrastructure
- the construction of the Separation Wall along the West Bank
Course Objectives:
The main objective of this class is to introduce the urban planning features in Palestine since the late 19th century to the present time.
The course will track the evolution of the planning profession including the planning practices and their driving policies & regulations since the Ottoman period (before 1917), passing through the British Mandate (1917-1948), the Jordanian Rule (1948-1967), the Israeli Occupation period (1967-1993), & ending with the Palestinian Authority period (1993-present time).
Each planning period will be studied by investigating three features:
- Geopolitical Changes
- Planning Regulations & Laws
- Challenges for the planning practice:
- Political challenges;
- Technical challenges;
- Socioeconomic and cultural challenges;
All topics will be discussed in a broader context of colonial & post-colonial planning & planning contested space under high geopolitical instability.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs)
At the end of this course students will be able to:
(1) demonstrate an understanding of planning laws that have been adopted from different
governments in Palestine for the last century;
(2) demonstrate an understanding of the dialectic relation between geopolitics & urban and
regional planning;
(3) understand the challenges of the urban planning profession & practices within Palestinian
context: political challenges, technical challenges, socioeconomic & cultural challenges;
(4) understand the physical planning prospects in historical Palestine (occupied Palestine in
1948, West Bank & Gaza).
COURSE SYLABUS:
Weeks 1 & 2 : Introduction:
- Palestine through history
- Overview of the Palestinian Case
Weeks 3 & 4 : Land Ownership & Land Registration in Palestine
Weeks 5 & 6 : Local Administration & Local Government in Palestine
Week 7 : Midterm Exam
Weeks 8 - 11 : Planning, Organization & Development in Palestine: Historical Development,
Constraints & Threats
Weeks 12 & 13 : Current & Future Planning Practices
Weeks 14 & 15 : Presentation of Research / Term Papers
Week 16 : Final Exam
Course Requirements & Grading:
Midterm Exam : %25
Researches & Papers : %40
Final Exam : %35
Course Sources & References:
(1) Compulsory Sources:
- Course Lectures, Notes & Discussion.
- Distributed publications (papers, studies, reports, etc.).
(2) Secondary/Additional Sources:
- English References.
- Arabic References.
