Social / Demographics

2000 - 2009: The Decade in Planning

The editors' choice of the most significant stories in the realm of urban planning, design and development of the "aughts" (2000-2009). The decade began with one crash and ended with another, but in between we've learned a lot about making cities.

January 11, 2010 - Nate Berg

Rural-Urban Divide Blurring in China

As China's cities grow, the economic policy that determines who is a rural resident and who is an urban resident are in need of some changes, according to this article.

January 9, 2010 - Guardian

Hamburg's Manifesto Against the 'Creative Class'

A new manifesto is being circulated in Hamburg, Germany, where city officials have used the concept of the "creative class" to rebrand the city and lure in creative people. The resulting gentrification of the city has many locals upset.

January 9, 2010 - Der Spiegel

Friday Funny: Buried Sea Lion Carcass Reeks of Retaliation to Nudists

A group of Southern California nudists is criticizing parks officials who buried a dead sea lion near their controversial stomping grounds -- a stinky development in the long battle between nudists and officials over the contested beach.

January 8, 2010 - The Orange County Register

See, Click, Fix, News

This article looks at how a Connecticut journalist used the online nuisance reporting tool SeeClickFix to get locals involved in his newspaper's newsgathering and storytelling.

January 8, 2010 - The New York Times

Black Majority Fades in Harlem

Once the Capital of Black America, Harlem is undergoing a population shift that is taking blacks out of the majority.

January 7, 2010 - The New York Times

The Flow of the Creative Class From Ailing Cities

Ryan Avent offers a counterpoint to a recent article critiquing the urban economic theories of Richard Florida, arguing that the movement of people and the "creative class" to cities based on employment is the heart of urban economics.

January 6, 2010 - Seeking Alpha

African 'Statue of Liberty' Angers Senegalese

A new monumental statue being built in the Senegalese capital of Dakar is seen by some as an African Statue of Liberty or Eiffel Tower. But for many of the nation's poor, it is a waste of money and an abuse of presidential power.

January 5, 2010 - NPR

When Home Is 32.5 Sq.Ft: Tokyo Capsules

While the U.S. has its infamous Single Room Occupancy hotels, Tokyo has its "capsule" hotels - making SROs appear downright spacious by comparison. This article and accompanying slide show looks at life for one resident of Capsule Hotel Shinjuku 510.

January 4, 2010 - The New York Times - Global Business

Volunteerism Bridging Universities and Their Neighbors

Universities bordering impoverished neighborhoods can do more to improve living conditions, according to the founders of LIFT, a group that trains volunteers. The group is featured on this week's episode of Smart City.

January 2, 2010 - Smart City

Bureaucratic Structures and the Collapse of Modern Society

Triple Canopy interviews architectural historian Kazys Varnelis about the importance of city data, the difficulty of building new infrastructure and how best to react to a stiflingly complex society.

January 1, 2010 - Triple Canopy

Russia's Population Growing for First Time Since 1995

The population of Russia is on the rise for the first time since 1995, according to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

December 31, 2009 - BBC

Europe's 'Capital of Sleep' Extends Party Hours

After being accused of being party-unfriendly, Paris and other French cities have been officially allowed to keep their dance clubs open as late as 7 a.m.

December 31, 2009 - Salon

Urban Data: The Second City

Looking at the city of Chicago and how it should approach the future, John Tolva writes about the potential for tapping into city data and embracing the "second city" it creates.

December 30, 2009 - IBM's Smarter Planet blog

Mapping Municipal Discrimination

GIS maps are being used to identify where communities need services -- and whether some communities are victims of municipal discrimination.

December 29, 2009 - Miller-McCune

The Economic Stimulus of Immigration Reform

Some say the nation's illegal immigrants are a missed opportunity that could help hurting regions to recover.

December 29, 2009 - Citiwire

Last Census Estimate For Decade Shows Major Migration Slowdown

The Census Bureau released its last estimates before the official 2010 count begins. They have a bearing on the Congressional reapportionment - good news for Texas, while 'less bad than expected' for the Northeast and Midwest, thanks to a recession.

December 28, 2009 - The New York Times - U.S.

Disconnected from Society? Gated Communities: Their Lifestyle versus Urban Governance

Peer Smets (VU University Amsterdam) investigates the socio-cultural impacts of specific patterns of urban segregation (gated communities) on local urban politics and urban governance.

December 28, 2009 - The Urban Reinventors Online Urban Journal

Census Shows Formerly Growing States Now Slowing

The economy has slowed growth to a trickle in states like Florida and Nevada, which had seen continuous growth for years.

December 27, 2009 - USA Today

Farms Growing in Colorado

Dipping into Colorado's census information reveals 7,000 new farms in the state, in addition to other surprising statistics.

December 23, 2009 - The Denver Post

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.