Urban Planning Education in a Democracy with a Market Economy: Learning Economic, Political and Social Skills

摘要

As Albania goes through a political, economic, and social revolution, and a population explosion in the capital region, its urban areas are going through drastic transformations. Urban and planning issues have come to the forefront as cities have to figure out how to provide adequate infrastructure, direct and control private development, meet transportation needs, respond to automobile traffic, and protect the environment in a market economy. This paper discusses the progress of university-level education in urban planning in Albania. Through interviews of students and practicing planners and direct observations, the author investigates the extent to which planning schools are training Albanian students to operate in the new post-communist context.