Changing Mobilities

Climate change demands rapid and radical changes in the way people on Earth live and move. Mobility systems the world over must change; and they are changing. Massive global efforts are underway to make transport more sustainable. However, this is mainly focused on technological solutions, such as electrifying automobility, even air travel, and the pace and scale of change is insufficient. The inequalities of existing and changing mobility systems are inhuman. So, how can we change mobilities better? Which are the areas and dimensions where “better” matters most? And what approaches can we take – given that the initiatives already under way are pushing hard? What more can we do? And, most importantly, how can we do it, and do it fairly? Changing Mobilities explores key dimensions of change.

The book takes the reader on a journey, beginning with establishing the imperative to act. Having established the urgency to act, it reflects on the struggle for radical transformation between activism and vested interests and discusses the potential of different approaches. It then turns to exploring why change seems so hard, or is so strongly resisted, exploring issues of inter- and intra-generational inequities of consumption of mobility, finding within the macro narrative opportunities to build on by recognising these differences. The final part of the book reflects on the need to change not just behaviours but institutions. It does this by reviewing how institutions operate today and why they might resist adapting to the new reality. It offers a hopeful reading of how to overcome the barriers to radical change by recognising, exploring, and accelerating the change already here and the change potential that exists through agonistic experimentation. Change is going to happen as a result of global warming – this book argues that we need to move to a more adaptive and radical footing to enable society to continue to flourish.

This book is aimed at researchers, practitioners and citizens who want to bring about positive change for their communities. The book allows a deep dive into the systemic problem of climate change, but also provides examples of how research can work with communities to both think and act differently.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 International license.

Monika Büscher is Emerita Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University, UK. Her research on mobilities explores low-carbon transport innovation, the informationalisation of emergency response and risk governance, IT ethics, and infrastructuring equitable urban futures. She has led research in range of national and international projects (DecarboN8, GREAT, BRIDGE, and SecInCoRe). She has published many articles and books, including Ethnograpies of Diagnostic Work, Mobile Methods, and Design Research. Synergies from Interdisciplinary Perspectives. She edits the book series Changing Mobilities (Routledge) with Peter Adey.

Greg Marsden is Professor of Transport Governance at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds. He has researched issues surrounding the design and implementation of new policies for over 20 years, covering a range of issues. He is an expert in climate and energy policy in the transport sector and the governance of smart mobility. He is currently exploring the role of place in the energy transition and the potential for transformative post-car-ownership futures.