Profile

Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Planning

Community Development, Policy Analysis, Planning, Land Use
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin – Madison; M.A., University of Wisconsin – Madison; M.S., University of Wisconsin – Madison; B.A., University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Email: bassette@pdx.edu
Phone: (503) 725-5174
Office: Urban Center 370M

Professional Biography

Dr. Bassett is an Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Planning with interests in land use planning, urban redevelopment, social equity, and community decision-making. Having grown up outside of Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Bassett was influenced by the city's issues of sprawl, abandonment, and white flight. She became interested in poverty, land tenure, and decision-making through her graduate studies and also through work with the Peace Corps; for two years, Dr. Bassett worked with the Kenyan Ministry of Local Government, creating and updating local development plans. This was followed by similar work with the German governmental aid agency (GTZ). Following her doctoral program, Dr. Bassett also worked for five years in Uganda, focusing on natural resource management and planning. She joined the faculty at Portland State in 2007 and teaches courses in land use planning, urban redevelopment, and planning methods.

Dr. Bassett's research emphasizes relevant land use, resource, and decision-making issues facing communities. She is particularly interested in understanding how different communities and societies formulate institutions, policies, regulations, and property rights to manage land use. Internationally, her research has focused on land tenure, urbanization, and access to land and housing for the urban poor. Domestically, she is interested how the urban environments produced by land use institutions affect human health and community well-being broadly defined.

Recent research includes an assessment of land use planning in Oregon. In particular, she has been looking at the issues of regulatory takings and whether the land use planning system unfairly impacts certain communities. As part of her research, Dr. Bassett recognizes that land can represent a number of things to different people, including economic opportunity, a sense of belonging to a society, history, and spirituality. Therefore, the way the land use debate is framed through the media, social interactions, policies, or voter pamphlets can have short and long term impacts on popular perceptions and planning practice.

Another project that Dr. Bassett is working on is an evaluation of living conditions in slums and informal settlements of Nairobi and Dakar. Data from approximately 3,400 household surveys is being analyzed to understand the differences across these two cities in terms of living conditions and standards of living. In addition, this information is being used to try to understand what explains divergent living conditions. Findings indicated that living conditions are a function of infrastructure, tenure, housing unit, and location.

Teaching

Courses taught by Dr. Bassett are often hands-on, engaged with the community, and client-based. Students develop their knowledge and analytical skills by assisting community groups with investigating and finding solutions to local problems. Critical thinking skills are developed by promoting class and small group discussions of relevant topics. Dr. Bassett teaches a wide range of planning courses and has recently taught Planning Methods, Planning for Developing Countries, and Land Use Implementation.

Community

Dr. Bassett enjoys the knowledge and level of engagement that Portlanders have with their city. She plays an active role in promoting and maintaining a dialogue about urban issues through frequent participation in meetings and conferences about issues ranging from social equity to land use.  She is also a frequent contributor to the ongoing conversation about shrinking cities like Detroit and Flint, Michigan.