IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jotrge/v112y2023ics0966692323001527.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Zooming in and out on everyday mobility practices in a rural, mountainous area of Switzerland

Author

Listed:
  • Maeder, Stefanie
  • Stauffacher, Michael
  • Knaus, Florian

Abstract

To combat climate change, carbon emissions from everyday mobility must be lowered. This can be achieved by improving vehicle efficiency, shifting to low-carbon modes of transport and avoiding travel. Most of the literature focuses on shifting mobility away from cars, mainly in the context of commuting. However, mobility is embedded deeply in everyday life and is much more complex. This research tries to broaden the scope and not only analyse the mode of transport that people choose but also the purposes that their mobility serves and how this influences their modal choice. Contrary to the dominant literature's emphasis on urban mobility, this study focuses on rural mobility, highlighting its specific challenges. As a case study, the mobility practices of residents of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Entlebuch (UBE) in Switzerland were investigated. Using a social practice approach has proven useful in analysing how individuals shape their everyday mobility. The study ‘zooms in’ on how practices are configured and ‘zooms out’ on the connection between mobility practices and mobility purposes, with the overarching aim to explore the key characteristics and dynamics of rural everyday transport in Switzerland, using the UBE as a case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed adopting a thematic analysis approach. The results indicate that in the rural context geographical conditions and infrastructure availability exert more influence on how practices are performed than in urban contexts. Also, the time spent on mobility was valued differently depending on the mobility purpose, leading to different modal choices for different mobility purposes. Finally, the results demonstrate that strong social capital within a community can foster low-carbon mobility in three ways: shorter distances travelled for shopping and leisure purposes; a preference for active modes of transport; and self-organised collective transport. These findings highlight the importance of considering mobility practices' embeddedness in everyday life while identifying potentials for shifting to low-carbon modes of transport, as well as avoiding travel in the first place.

Suggested Citation

  • Maeder, Stefanie & Stauffacher, Michael & Knaus, Florian, 2023. "Zooming in and out on everyday mobility practices in a rural, mountainous area of Switzerland," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:112:y:2023:i:c:s0966692323001527
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103680
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692323001527
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103680?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Henrike Rau & Lukas Sattlegger, 2018. "Shared journeys, linked lives: a relational-biographical approach to mobility practices," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 45-63, January.
    2. Zhao, Pengjun & Yu, Zhao, 2020. "Investigating mobility in rural areas of China: Features, equity, and factors," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 66-77.
    3. Jennifer L. Kent, 2022. "The use of practice theory in transport research," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(2), pages 222-244, March.
    4. Kevin B. Caldwell & Robert H. W. Boyer, 2019. "Bicycle commuting in an automobile-dominated city: how individuals become and remain bike commuters in Charlotte, North Carolina," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1785-1806, October.
    5. Charreire, H. & Roda, C. & Feuillet, T. & Piombini, A. & Bardos, H. & Rutter, H. & Compernolle, S. & Mackenbach, J.D. & Lakerveld, J. & Oppert, J.M., 2021. "Walking, cycling, and public transport for commuting and non-commuting travels across 5 European urban regions: Modal choice correlates and motivations," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    6. Paloma Morales-Flores & Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte, 2021. "Can We Build Walkable Environments to Support Social Capital? Towards a Spatial Understanding of Social Capital; a Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Cass, Noel & Faulconbridge, James, 2016. "Commuting practices: New insights into modal shift from theories of social practice," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-14.
    8. Watson, Matt, 2012. "How theories of practice can inform transition to a decarbonised transport system," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 488-496.
    9. Johannes Volden & Arve Hansen, 2022. "Practical aeromobilities: making sense of environmentalist air-travel," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 349-365, May.
    10. Jinhee Kim & Soora Rasouli & Harry J. P. Timmermans, 2018. "Social networks, social influence and activity-travel behaviour: a review of models and empirical evidence," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 499-523, July.
    11. Hagiladi, Na'amah & O. Plaut, Pnina, 2021. "Social networks' group tie strength and travel behavior," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Meinherz, Franziska & Binder, Claudia R., 2020. "The dynamics of modal shifts in (sub)urban commuting: An empirical analysis based on practice theories," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    13. repec:elg:eechap:15612_5 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Franziska Meinherz & Livia Fritz, 2021. "‘Ecological concerns weren’t the main reason why I took the bus, that association only came afterwards’: on shifts in meanings of everyday mobility," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 825-842, November.
    15. Jennifer L. Kent, 2015. "Still Feeling the Car - The Role of Comfort in Sustaining Private Car Use," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(5), pages 726-747, December.
    16. Camilleri, Rosalie & Attard, Maria & Hickman, Robin, 2022. "Understanding barriers to modal shift in Malta: A practice-theoretical perspective of everyday mobility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    17. Kent, Jennifer L., 2014. "Driving to save time or saving time to drive? The enduring appeal of the private car," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 103-115.
    18. Melina Stein & Luca Nitschke & Laura Trost & Ansgar Dirschauer & Jutta Deffner, 2022. "Impacts of Commuting Practices on Social Sustainability and Sustainable Mobility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Camilleri, Rosalie & Attard, Maria & Hickman, Robin, 2022. "Understanding barriers to modal shift in Malta: A practice-theoretical perspective of everyday mobility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    2. Sunio, Varsolo & Fillone, Alexis & Abad, Raymund Paolo & Rivera, Joyce & Guillen, Marie Danielle, 2023. "Why does demand-based transport planning persist? Insights from social practice theory," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    3. Kevin Maréchal, 2018. "Recasting the understanding of habits for behaviour-oriented policies in transportation," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/270475, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Schneider, Paul R., 2023. "From elements to policies: A Shovian social practice perspective on pathways to facilitate daily E-bike commuting," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 36-45.
    5. Meinherz, Franziska & Binder, Claudia R., 2020. "The dynamics of modal shifts in (sub)urban commuting: An empirical analysis based on practice theories," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Senja Laakso, 2019. "Experiments in Everyday Mobility: Social Dynamics of Achieving a Sustainable Lifestyle," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 24(2), pages 235-250, June.
    7. Rozynek, Caroline & Schwerdtfeger, Stefanie & Lanzendorf, Martin, 2022. "The influence of limited financial resources on daily travel practices. A case study of low-income households with children in the Hanover Region (Germany)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    8. Kevin Marechal, 2018. "Recasting the Understanding of Habits for Behaviour-Oriented Policies in Transportation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Filippo Corsini & Rafael Laurenti & Franziska Meinherz & Francesco Paolo Appio & Luca Mora, 2019. "The Advent of Practice Theories in Research on Sustainable Consumption: Past, Current and Future Directions of the Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    10. Luca Nitschke, 2020. "Reconstituting Automobility: The Influence of Non-Commercial Carsharing on the Meanings of Automobility and the Car," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    11. Paula Quentin & Jost Buscher & Thomas Eltner, 2023. "Transport Planning beyond Infrastructural Change: An Empirical Analysis of Transport Planning Practices in the Rhine-Main Region in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    12. Kent, Jennifer & Dowling, Robyn & Maalsen, Sophia, 2017. "Catalysts for transport transitions: Bridging the gap between disruptions and change," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 200-207.
    13. Jessica K. Breadsell & Christine Eon & Gregory M. Morrison, 2019. "Understanding Resource Consumption in the Home, Community and Society through Behaviour and Social Practice Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-18, November.
    14. Van Eenoo, Eva & Boussauw, Kobe, 2023. "“That's not feasible without a car”: An exploration of car-dependent practices," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1-10.
    15. Bruno, Matthew & Nikolaeva, Anna, 2020. "Towards a maintenance-based approach to mode shift: Comparing two cases of Dutch cycling policy using social practice theory," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    16. Barr, Stewart & Lampkin, Sal & Dawkins, Laura & Williamson, Daniel, 2022. "‘I feel the weather and you just know’. Narrating the dynamics of commuter mobility choices," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    17. Bing Xia & Kelei Wu & Peikun Guo & Yuan Sun & Jindong Wu & Jie Xu & Shifu Wang, 2022. "Multidisciplinary Innovation Adaptability of Campus Spatial Organization: From a Network Perspective," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    18. Mattioli, Giulio & Anable, Jillian & Vrotsou, Katerina, 2016. "Car dependent practices: Findings from a sequence pattern mining study of UK time use data," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 56-72.
    19. Doody, Brendan J., 2020. "Becoming ‘a Londoner’: Migrants’ experiences and habits of everyday (im)mobilities over the life course," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    20. Sersli, Stephanie & Gislason, Maya & Scott, Nicholas & Winters, Meghan, 2020. "Riding alone and together: Is mobility of care at odds with mothers' bicycling?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:112:y:2023:i:c:s0966692323001527. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-geography .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.