There is a lot of interest in green infrastructure in cities, which can refer to a variety of landscape elements like trees, swales, parks, and conservation areas, for fostering environmental quality, mitigating the urban heat island effect, and reducing stormwater runoff. However, there is a lack of methods for identifying which locations to prioritize for […]
Are We in the Era of Platform Urbanism?
The Shifting Landscape of Cities and Technology For years it has been obvious that digital technologies have become deeply embedded in cities, but it has been difficult to conceptualize this change. My scholarly career has seen a revolving door of buzzwords and concepts surrounding technology in cities, like open data, open government, gov 2.0, civic […]
Scenario Planning vs. Economic Theory
I used to think I had a handle on the basic theoretical debates between mainstream (or neoclassical) economics and urban planning institutions and practices, but a recent book opened my eyes to the realization that scenario planning’s focus on non-quantitative uncertainty is yet another area where planning conflicts with ideas from economics. Although my research […]
New Paper Analyzes Eviction Cases Across Michigan
Last year I completed a research project on evictions in Michigan, conducted in collaboration with attorney Libby Benton and others at the Michigan Advocacy Project, a legal aid organization. This page summarizes the project, which resulted in a report and policy brief, released in May 2020. Today the academic paper produced by this project, “Eviction […]
Questions People Ask About Scenario Planning for Cities
Last fall I spoke to a number of groups about scenario planning and my book, Scenario Planning for Cities and Regions: Managing and Envisioning Uncertain Futures. Here are some of the questions that frequently cropped up. 1. What tool should I use? The simple answer to this question is, any one! Since scenario planning refers […]
Book Reviewed in Planning
My book, Scenario Planning for Cities and Regions, has been included in the “Planners Library” feature in the August/September issue of the American Planning Association’s magazine, Planning. Reviewer Harold Henderson comments that “scenario planning looks to be made for the tumult of 2020 and whatever follows,” and notes “one of the book’s many strengths is […]
New Paper: “Learning to Manage Common Resources: Stakeholders Playing a Serious Game See Increased Interdependence in Groundwater Basin Management”
This paper is the product of a three-year collaborative research project between the Environmental Defense Fund, Colleen Seifert, a UM psychology professor, myself, and several research assistants. In 2017, the Graham Sustainability Institute sponsored a matchmaking event where UM social scientists could interact with EDF staff who had ideas for research collaborations. At that event, […]