About
Us
The Purpose of the Tufts Intercultural Practice Group is to sponsor events and discussions for the Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Department and wider community that examine the role of the planner and policy maker in fostering intercultural communities. The membership aims to create a learning community that builds knowledge, brings people together, and critically examines issues like equity and cultural competence and their relevance and implications for policy and planning practice. Events and discussions will involve guest practitioners or expertly researched opinions, i.e. practicing planners and community development professionals or published articles, who/which will help foster debate around the challenges of planning for the intercultural city. Objectives
Our Goals
1. Self-learning · Create a community of inquiry to teach ourselves and the UEP community about culturally competent and participatory practice. o Provide opportunities for learning about our own cultural backgrounds, and those of our classmates. o Provide opportunities for honest reflection and feedback among our group and the UEP community about cultural competency, racism, and oppression. o Provide opportunities for learning about working in communities that are culturally similar or dissimilar to our own backgrounds (including challenges and opportunities for white planners and planners of color). 2. Connections · Foster discussion at UEP on the role of the planner and policymaker on forming the intercultural space and promoting meaningful equity. Include practicing planners, policymakers, community organizers, and community members (especially UEP alumni), in these discussion spaces. · Examine best practices from real world planning. 3. Advocacy · Provide opportunities for practicing planners to be reflective and improve their own culturally competency skills. · Increase the number of planners and policy makers from under-represented communities at UEP and in the profession. · Practice equitable planning and policy making. |