Collaborative governance for sustainable development in urban planning in South Korea

Over the past few decades, world population growth, economic development and rapid urbanisation have caused environmental degradation and have brought about many social problems. The concept of ‘sustainable development’ has emerged as an approach to dealing with these issues. ‘Collaborative governance’ is seen by many scholars as a means of implementing the goals of sustainable development and of integrating diverse interests and perspectives in contemporary society. This thesis examines the relationship between sustainable development and collaborative governance in urban planning in South Korea. There are four main research questions: What are the key elements of collaborative governance in urban planning? How does collaborative governance contribute to sustainable development? What role is played by government in working towards sustainable development in a collaborative governance era? What is needed for enhancing future collaborative governance? The questions are examined through two case studies of urban planning in South Korea: in the Si-hwa case study the emphasis is on the topic of conflict mediation; and in the Buk-Gu case study, it is on the topic of collaborative policy-making. Through a review of the relevant literature and the two case studies, the thesis shows that the characteristics of urban planning in South Korea correspond to the general features of collaborative governance identified in the literature, and that collaborative governance is an effective system for achieving the principles of sustainable development. It concludes that a collaborative governance system will evolve towards sustainable development, compensating for any initial weakness in the process, provided that all stakeholders, particularly residents and government, continue to develop their institutional capacity over time.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

d_ph

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

d_ph

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Birmingham

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Kim, Tae-Byung

• HT Communities. Classes. Races
• HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare