Papers by Carolyn Whitzman
Since 2002, the Planning for Health and Wellbeing Project has been supported by VicHealth (the Vi... more Since 2002, the Planning for Health and Wellbeing Project has been supported by VicHealth (the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation) and housed within the Planning Institute of Victoria. The project has been very successful in raising the profile of healthy community planning. However, surveys in 2002 and 2005 reveal that planners still find it difficult to 'plan health in' instead of 'planning health out'. A follow-up study with front-line planners suggests that there is a need to
embed some simple guidelines and policies within state planning provisions, and that the 'social marketing' approach needs
to be replaced with a 'legislative change' agenda within a broader sustainability planning framework.
Book chapter from Building Inclusive Cities (2013)
and sharing with colleagues.
Despite the fact that at least 10 percent of the global population are disabled, people with disa... more Despite the fact that at least 10 percent of the global population are disabled, people with disabilities are often excluded from consideration in development activities (Metts, 2000, p. 89-90). Road infrastructure is a recognized approach to poverty reduction in developing countries, and research from Papua New Guinea (PNG) has demonstrated positive changes in income and access to community services for people with road access (Gibson and Rozelle, 2002). As is common in developing countries, the primary means of transportation in PNG is walking (The World Bank, 2008). But in both developing and developed contexts, very few road projects involve community consultation or evaluation in terms of the real impact they make on community members’ quality of life, let alone the prospects for people with disabilities (Estache, 2010, van de Walle, 2009). Roads are still assumed to primarily serve motorized vehicles, with deleterious environmental, social, and economic effects (Brown and Lloyd-Jones, 2002, Newman and Kenworthy, 1999).
Disability Inclusive Road Development in PNG is a three year research project (2010-2013) funded by the Australian Government Aid Program through the Australian Development Research Awards. Our key research question is: How can people with disabilities influence decision-making about road development in PNG? As the research is in its preliminary stages, this paper will focus on the theoretical and policy context for this
work. After an overview of both the international and national context for this research, the paper will outline the qualitative methodologies being used (interviews, focus groups, photo elicitation, and community walkabouts) as well as the partnership principles behind the
research.
This article examines how an action research partnership developed and then influenced social jus... more This article examines how an action research partnership developed and then influenced social justice outcomes during a 3-year research project to promote disability-inclusive road development in Papua New Guinea. The purpose of this article is to reflect on possible reasons
why this partnership obtained certain positive results and not others. By reflecting on how the partnership developed, transformed over time, engendered achievements and failures, and affected the individuals and organizations involved in it, I aim to contribute to the understanding
of how collaborative research partnerships can better promote the rights of those who are often marginalized from public space and decision-making. In this case study, neo-colonialism and underlying tensions between engineering and social development “world views”, both within and between partners, affected both positive outcomes and lost opportunities in terms of improving the lives of people with disabilities.
There is currently wide-spread cynicism in relation to metropolitan strategic planning in Melbour... more There is currently wide-spread cynicism in relation to metropolitan strategic planning in Melbourne, in relation to whether it is underpinned by any vision of social or environmental justice, or is simply based on political power-brokering. Examples of past positive visions underlying Melbourne strategic planning exist, as do good practices from elsewhere from which to learn. There is an emergent alternative vision. However, it has not yet engaged the full range of the public necessary to transcend short-term political goals and engage with challenges around conflicts and trade-offs. Current strategic planning reform actively works against this alternative vision being realised.
Can zombies become human again? Plan Melbourne, zombie institutions, and citizen dissent. Beck f... more Can zombies become human again? Plan Melbourne, zombie institutions, and citizen dissent. Beck first used the term “zombie
categories” to refer to institutions and ideas, infected by the virus of neo-liberalism, which have lost their meaning and practical purpose,
but refuse to die. I want to query a flaw in an otherwise excellent
analogy: what happens when institutions that appear brain-dead show signs of revival? Can and should public sector planning be completely
“killed”, even if it seems hopelessly dysfunctional? Or, as is the case in some zombie fantasies, can some redemptive new existence occur, and if so, how?
In this paper, I will be providing several reflections on planning
education, with in Australia a... more In this paper, I will be providing several reflections on planning
education, with in Australia and internationally. I will be using as
a starting point the recent development of a postgraduate-only
professional education model at the University of Melbourne, known
colloquially as the 'Melbourne Model'. I will provide my own personal
views on whether spatial planning should be an undergraduate or
postgraduate course, or a mixture of the two. I will then discuss the
current international discourse on 'reinventing planning' and how this
new global discourse might affect planning education in Australia, I will
conclude by providing my opinion on how best to manage the tensions
between 'staffing the profession' and 'changing the profession' of
planning in Australia.
This article describes the analysis and body of work coming out of Toronto in the past ten years,... more This article describes the analysis and body of work coming out of Toronto in the past ten years, aimed at the prevention of public violence against women through planning and design.The "Toronto School" of planners, academics, and community activist share a common feminist
analysis.This consists of (1) treating "crime" and "fear of crime" as gendered phenomena, and treating public violence as part of the continuum of acts that harm women; (2) relying on a participatory research and evaluation process, allowing the people who are most affected to define the problem and suggest solutions; (3) integrating design improvement and community development. Projects have included studies on where women fear crime, broad changes to the
public transit system, and the integration of women's safety concerns into the planning process at the City of Toronto. Research directions are also outlined.
Since the origins of Rome, Beijing, and Edo (Tokyo) 2,000 years ago, children have grown up in hi... more Since the origins of Rome, Beijing, and Edo (Tokyo) 2,000 years ago, children have grown up in high-density, mixed-use central cities. However, during the nineteenth century period of rapid industrialization and urbanization in Europe and North America, growing up downtown became seen as morally and physically unhealthy and unsafe. Recently, the possibilities of child-friendly central city living have been rediscovered. This chapter reviews recent literature on the
risks and possible rewards of growing up downtown, then discusses design approaches to maximize benefit and minimize harms at the unit, building, and precinct level. The chapter concludes by giving examples of child-friendly city planning by and with children, from Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore, and London.
Recent deliberative planning theory has developed the idea that partnerships between governments,... more Recent deliberative planning theory has developed the idea that partnerships between governments, the private sector, and community advocates are the best way to create innovative solutions to 'wicked' policy problems, such as affordable housing. The worst case scenario, however, is that these partnerships are merely a new version of urban growth machines: collusion between governments and private developers in which the basic right of citizens to shelter is ignored. This paper examines how key actors in the affordable housing industry work together in affordable housing partnerships. Our comparative focus is four mid-tier global cities within three neo-liberal countries that rely primarily on the private sector for their housing stock: Canada, the US and Australia. All four cities – Vancouver, Toronto, Portland, and Melbourne – are thriving economically, yet have poor housing affordability outcomes, including an increasing number of low and moderate income households who cannot afford rents or mortgage repayments. In each of the cities, seven to eight key housing actors have been interviewed and housing affordability policy and practices tracked through a desktop search. We compare recent partnerships for affordable housing, and perceived benefits of a partnership approach to affordable housing. This research suggests better affordable housing outcomes arise from a deliberative approach.
Urban design has been posited as the great hope for a democratic and inclusive future. Yet local... more Urban design has been posited as the great hope for a democratic and inclusive future. Yet localized interventions require supportive metropolitan policy to work ‘as designed’. While a full exercise of citizenship enabled by good governance might create excellent urban design outcomes, urban design ‒ at best ‒ can only create the spaces where citizenship might flourish, if equity-promoting urban policy prevails.
Over the past two decades, Australian planning policies have supported largely unregulated land s... more Over the past two decades, Australian planning policies have supported largely unregulated land speculation and gentrification in relatively well served inner and middle suburbs, leading to displacement of low and moderate income households and growing spatial inequalities. The current Victorian state government signalled a new direction by ‘refreshing’ the third metropolitan strategy in as many decades, Plan Melbourne (2014/2017), with an increased emphasis on ‘diverse housing close to jobs, transport and services. It also established a new independent infrastructure advisory body that defined social housing as an infrastructure priority, and developed a ‘whole of government’ affordable housing strategy.
Through a content analysis of Plan Melbourne, along with the two associated recent strategies, this paper asks whether they provide sufficient regulatory, governance and finance mechanisms to address and potentially reverse the trend towards greater social polarisation. We conclude that absence of a coherent vision, strong evidence base, coordinated partnership mechanisms, and ambitious targets combine to make progress towards more just intensification unlikely.
Participatory Action Research (PAR) emphasizes working with
communities to develop questions that... more Participatory Action Research (PAR) emphasizes working with
communities to develop questions that are relevant to their needs,
then co-generating research to answer these questions. Typically, PAR
focuses on empowering marginalized communities. Transforming
Housing is a community–university collaborative partnership
based in Melbourne Australia, with researchers asking developers,
government, investors and community housing providers what
they need to know in order to provide more and better affordable
housing, then collectively generating ideas. After three years, this
article takes a reflective practice lens to examine both possibilities
and pitfalls arising from PAR with the rich and powerful. The article
concludes that collaborate research on affordable housing can lead
to outcomes intellectually honest, sustainable beyond political cycles
and capable of effecting positive change at both the local and the
metropolitan scales. However, this form of collaborative research
can be easily derailed by politics, and does not address underlying
structural inequalities.
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Papers by Carolyn Whitzman
embed some simple guidelines and policies within state planning provisions, and that the 'social marketing' approach needs
to be replaced with a 'legislative change' agenda within a broader sustainability planning framework.
Disability Inclusive Road Development in PNG is a three year research project (2010-2013) funded by the Australian Government Aid Program through the Australian Development Research Awards. Our key research question is: How can people with disabilities influence decision-making about road development in PNG? As the research is in its preliminary stages, this paper will focus on the theoretical and policy context for this
work. After an overview of both the international and national context for this research, the paper will outline the qualitative methodologies being used (interviews, focus groups, photo elicitation, and community walkabouts) as well as the partnership principles behind the
research.
why this partnership obtained certain positive results and not others. By reflecting on how the partnership developed, transformed over time, engendered achievements and failures, and affected the individuals and organizations involved in it, I aim to contribute to the understanding
of how collaborative research partnerships can better promote the rights of those who are often marginalized from public space and decision-making. In this case study, neo-colonialism and underlying tensions between engineering and social development “world views”, both within and between partners, affected both positive outcomes and lost opportunities in terms of improving the lives of people with disabilities.
categories” to refer to institutions and ideas, infected by the virus of neo-liberalism, which have lost their meaning and practical purpose,
but refuse to die. I want to query a flaw in an otherwise excellent
analogy: what happens when institutions that appear brain-dead show signs of revival? Can and should public sector planning be completely
“killed”, even if it seems hopelessly dysfunctional? Or, as is the case in some zombie fantasies, can some redemptive new existence occur, and if so, how?
education, with in Australia and internationally. I will be using as
a starting point the recent development of a postgraduate-only
professional education model at the University of Melbourne, known
colloquially as the 'Melbourne Model'. I will provide my own personal
views on whether spatial planning should be an undergraduate or
postgraduate course, or a mixture of the two. I will then discuss the
current international discourse on 'reinventing planning' and how this
new global discourse might affect planning education in Australia, I will
conclude by providing my opinion on how best to manage the tensions
between 'staffing the profession' and 'changing the profession' of
planning in Australia.
analysis.This consists of (1) treating "crime" and "fear of crime" as gendered phenomena, and treating public violence as part of the continuum of acts that harm women; (2) relying on a participatory research and evaluation process, allowing the people who are most affected to define the problem and suggest solutions; (3) integrating design improvement and community development. Projects have included studies on where women fear crime, broad changes to the
public transit system, and the integration of women's safety concerns into the planning process at the City of Toronto. Research directions are also outlined.
risks and possible rewards of growing up downtown, then discusses design approaches to maximize benefit and minimize harms at the unit, building, and precinct level. The chapter concludes by giving examples of child-friendly city planning by and with children, from Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore, and London.
Through a content analysis of Plan Melbourne, along with the two associated recent strategies, this paper asks whether they provide sufficient regulatory, governance and finance mechanisms to address and potentially reverse the trend towards greater social polarisation. We conclude that absence of a coherent vision, strong evidence base, coordinated partnership mechanisms, and ambitious targets combine to make progress towards more just intensification unlikely.
communities to develop questions that are relevant to their needs,
then co-generating research to answer these questions. Typically, PAR
focuses on empowering marginalized communities. Transforming
Housing is a community–university collaborative partnership
based in Melbourne Australia, with researchers asking developers,
government, investors and community housing providers what
they need to know in order to provide more and better affordable
housing, then collectively generating ideas. After three years, this
article takes a reflective practice lens to examine both possibilities
and pitfalls arising from PAR with the rich and powerful. The article
concludes that collaborate research on affordable housing can lead
to outcomes intellectually honest, sustainable beyond political cycles
and capable of effecting positive change at both the local and the
metropolitan scales. However, this form of collaborative research
can be easily derailed by politics, and does not address underlying
structural inequalities.