2014 ACSP 54th Annual Conference  ~  Planning 3.0: Global, Participatory, Digital, Personal, and Outcome-Oriented

October 30 through November 2
Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Pennsylvania

Local Hosts:

• University of Pennsylvania, John Landis, jlan@design.upenn.edu
• Temple University, Debra Howe, dhowe@temple.edu
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Robert Burchell, vurchell@rci.rutgers.edu

Theme Description

It is our belief that this theme properly captures many of the most significant emerging trends in planning practice, theory, research, and instruction. Planning practice and theory are becoming more global, particularly around observations on urban settlement forms and best practices. Planning is also becoming more participatory, whether through social media or the advancement of women and diverse minorities and interest groups in civil society. Like all professions, planning is also becoming more digital, both in terms of the availability of near-real time digital data to end users and on the emergence of data mining and other algorithms for processing, analyzing, and applying such data. The confluence of digital technologies and participation is also making planning more personal, with everyday people emerging as stakeholders and lay-planners. Last, and most importantly, like all professions in this increasingly competitive and monetized world, planning has to prove it’s worth every day, and this forcing planners in both academia and the professions to become more outcome-oriented. Individually, all of these trends are positive, but in combination, it remains to be seen how they play out. The 2014 Conference will develop these themes to take stock of where planning has been, as well as where it is going.

2015 ACSP 55th Annual Conference  ~  Justice and The City: (re)Examining the Past to Create the Future

October 22-25, 2015
Hyatt Regency Houston

Local Host: Texas Southern University, Sheri Smith, smithsl@tsu.edu; LaRence Snowden, snowdenlb@tsu.edu

Theme Description

This theme takes on all the possible justice issues, social equity, multiculturalism, environmental activism, advocacy planning, etc. There are several acts that began in 1965 and 2015 is 50 years later...

The 1960s was a time in history where growth and development was rampant around the globe. Focus began to fall on urban renewal and the health of the environment as well as the impacts associated with human activities.

The sixties brought about civil rights movements globally and especially here in the United States. As freedom riders made their journey across the south in 1961 protesting the use of segregation in public transportation, urban planning was progressing by introducing zoning for the first time in the state of Hawaii. The year of 1964 brought about the enactment of the civil rights act that banned discrimination based on "race, color, religion, sex or national origin" in employment practices and public accommodations. 1964 was also the year that economic development was brought into the spotlight by President Lyndon Johnson declaring war on poverty. The civil rights movement was hit hard in 1968 due to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite this tragedy, regional planning was evolving and the Intergovernmental Relations Act of 1968 was passed, requiring state and sub-state regional clearinghouses to review and comment on federally assisted projects to facilitate coordination among the three levels of government.

Starting in the 1960s, the beginning of the women's rights movement resurged forward after being passive during the 1940s and 1950s. The civil rights protests spurred the women of the 1960s to renew the push for equal rights for women as well as minorities in educational and employment fields. Equality in politics, both in the United States and internationally, were also on the agenda for women's rights. During this time of women's rights movements, Jane Jacobs made her mark in planning by introducing "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" into the planning profession.

The world became increasingly conscious about the health of the environment during this time in history. In 1960, the first clean water act was passed by Congress as well as the first implementation of a Public Health Service study on air pollution from cars. The end of the sixties brought one of environmental health's most influential accomplishments, the passing of the National Environmental Policy Act by Congress.

The 1960s will forever be known as a time of progress. Fifty years later we will look back to assess the progress we have made from the groundwork established in the 60s as we plan for the development that will take place in the next fifty years.