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A Critical Review of Social Justice Theories in Public Transit Planning

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  • Saeid Nazari Adli

    (School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

  • Subeh Chowdhury

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

Abstract

One of the most common areas in public transit planning that has been under investigation is the inclusion of “social justice”. In its simplest form, social justice demands more equitable access for all residents to resources that are provided by a city. However, public transit plans are typically guided by maximising tangible measures such as economic growth and efficiency. Concerns about discriminatory geographies which have led to low-income neighbourhoods with higher unemployment rates, social exclusion, lower political engagement, and participation in urban activities have brought attention to the re-assessment of transit planning. Limitations of the current methods and frameworks make it difficult to measure the outcomes of transit planning strategies and policies with respect to social justice, and to determine if the policies will produce a just transit system. This review provides a critical examination of transit policies in relation to social justice. It gives a summary of key transportation just theories, and their limitations in evaluating a transit system. A social justice framework, which incorporates just theories, is provided to assess a transit system’s accessibility for disadvantaged (low-income) population groups. The framework enhances the sustainable relationship between the accessibility a commuter requires and services provided by the transit system. The review concludes with knowledge gaps and directions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Saeid Nazari Adli & Subeh Chowdhury, 2021. "A Critical Review of Social Justice Theories in Public Transit Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:8:p:4289-:d:534821
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Azmoodeh, Mohammad & Haghighi, Farshidreza & Motieyan, Hamid, 2023. "The capability approach and social equity in transport: Understanding factors affecting capabilities of urban residents, using structural equation modeling," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 137-151.
    2. Nir Sharav & Yoram Shiftan, 2021. "Optimal Urban Transit Investment Model and Its Application," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-29, August.
    3. Mohammad Azmoodeh & Farshidreza Haghighi & Hamid Motieyan, 2023. "Capability Index: Applying a Fuzzy-Based Decision-Making Method to Evaluate Social Inclusion in Urban Areas Using the Capability Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 77-105, January.

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