Social / Demographics

Forget Cities - It's Regions and Neighborhoods That Matter

When it comes to economics, statistics, demographics, development, and our daily actions, city lines don't count for much - neighborhoods and regions are where things happen, says Kaid Benfield.

November 2, 2010 - Sustainable Cities Collective

Urbanism As a Process

As populations shift to cities, the concept of urbanism begins to take on more relevance across the planet. In a recent book, author Jeb Brugmann explores what urbanism means as a trend and a process.

November 2, 2010 - Policy Innovations

Bicycle Activists Become Major Political Players

A one-time fringe bicycle activist group in the Pacific Northwest has turned into a major player in mainstream politics.

November 2, 2010 - The Seattle Times

The Web of Walkability

Steve Mouzon visually documents his walkable day-to-day life, and all the places he can get to regularly on foot from his house.

November 2, 2010 - The Original Green

Taking Over a Ghost Town

This piece from The New York Times offers a first hand look at life in a modern day mining ghost town from someone who is steadily buying up empty buildings.

November 2, 2010 - The New York Times

The Fear of Transit

Fear of crime and uncertainty about safety keep many people from using public transit, according to a new study. But how should transit agencies react?

November 1, 2010 - Next American City

The Future of Australian Cities

Anton Roux and John Stanley of ON LINE opinion outline the future for Australian cities.

November 1, 2010 - ON LINE opinion

India's Economic Growth Is Reflected In Smaller Cities

Economists and government officials have long acclaimed India’s so-called second-tier cities as new founts of prosperity and incubators of India’s growing middle class. Now even smaller cities in India’s most prosperous states are booming too.

October 31, 2010 - New York Times

The Polarity of Moses and Jacobs

There are two magnetic poles in the realm of urban planning: Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. But do we have to always be stuck in this tug-of-war?

October 30, 2010 - Urban Omnibus

The Blossoming of Barcelona

Jay Walljasper says that Barcelona, once looked upon as a dirty, second-rate city now is a must-see like Paris or Rome. How did the Spanish turn Barcelona around?

October 29, 2010 - Citiwire.net

Census Participation Holds Steady

Participation rates for the 2010 Census have been released, and the national average of 74% matches that of the previous Census in 2000.

October 27, 2010 - The New Republic

New Study Says Young People Want Apartments, Not Houses

A new Canadian study indicates that young people in the U.S. and Canada are trending away from owning their own homes and towards renting apartments.

October 26, 2010 - Treehugger

Population & Global Warming: Urbanization Increases Emissions

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows how population growth increases greenhouse gas emissions. More importantly, two demographic factors shape the increase, urbanization and aging -with opposite effects.

October 25, 2010 - BBC News - Science & Environment

The Aging Driver: A NYT Debate

Prompted by Google's latest invention, the car that drives itself, the NYT sought four different perspectives on how to approach the onslaught of aging baby boomers behind the wheel: An M.I.T. scientist, Rand economist, Yale doctor, and AARP VP.

October 22, 2010 - The New York Times - Opinion - Room For Debate

Cities and Suburbs at War?

There seems to be a lot of rhetoric pitting suburbs and cities against each other in some sort of ideological war. But, as this piece from Grist asks, is that war even real?

October 22, 2010 - Grist

Science in the City

The latest issue of Nature looks at the implications of an increasingly urban world on the field of science, and the field's impact on cities.

October 21, 2010 - Nature

Why Kids Can't and Won't Walk to School in Laguna Beach

Getting kids to walk to school has been a nationwide campaign for years. But some places say it's just not safe. Some urban forms -- like that of Laguna Beach, California -- prove it.

October 20, 2010 - NRDC Switchboard

Using Domes to Understand Concerns

Conflicts inevitably arise during design discussions and policy talks. A team of architects has created a new way of understanding each side's concerns, mainly by diagramming them into distinct domes.

October 19, 2010 - Urban Omnibus

City Revival Through the Arts

A suburb of Tel Aviv is trying to revive itself by becoming an arts destination.

October 18, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Designing Cities in an Age of Scarce Water

Freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce. Our cities will need to address these shortages with better design, according to author Steven Solomon.

October 16, 2010 - Grist

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.