Beyond the rule of growth in the transport sector: towards “clumsy mobility solutions”?

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2022

Authors

Ferreira, António (Author) FEUP; Schönfeld, Kim Carlotta von (Author) FLUP

Book

Title: Post-growth planning: cities beyond the market economy

ISBN: 9781003160984

Electronic ISBN: 9781003160984

Publisher: Routledge e Taylor & Francis

Indexing

Crossref

Other information

DOI: 10.4324/9781003160984-9

Abstract (EN): The dominant transport planning narrative of our times is based on economic growth and capital accumulation, efficiency and predictability, time value and travel time savings, innovation and techno-centrism. These values are not necessarily problematic in all circumstances; however, we propose that it is necessarily a problem when a key activity sector such as transport becomes entirely subjugated to them. This chapter briefly reviews today’s dominant transport planning narrative and its major alternatives – and reveals that these all have major shortcomings. It therefore proposes an integrative alternative that incorporates the contributions of worldviews that are not in harmony with each other and that are radically dissimilar from the worldview that dominates today. This will lead to what we call clumsy mobility solutions, transposing and expanding existing theories on clumsy solutions to transport planning and mobility. Clumsy mobility solutions are transport-related policies, plans, or initiatives that can be accepted and willingly promoted by individuals and social groups with radically different understandings about the world. These solutions provide an important avenue to surpass the dominance of growth, efficiency, and innovation logics, or of any other specific logic, and to provide truly inclusive opportunities for transport and mobility planning.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14