Exploring sustainable urban automobility transitions : a transdisciplinary inquiry into the case of an isolated enclave in Cape Town, the South Peninsula

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY : Automobility, the overarching socio-technical system that maintains global automobile dependence, is a quintessential illustration of the twentieth century taking its revenge on thetwenty-first (Dennis & Urry 2009). The reliance on private cars as the dominant mode oftransport is having significant social, environmental and economic impacts on societies andhindering the global quest for sustainability. The research draws on sustainable transitiontheory, current approaches to sustainable cities, and sustainable transport literature to explore alternative transitions for a local manifestation of automobile dependence. Theliterature subsequently suggests that local socio-technical systems warrant a local response given its potential to either 'accelerate, reshape or even disrupt' a citywide or national mobility transition (Hodson & Marvin 2010: 480). The literature further points to the benefit ofemploying new ways of researching to recognise the complex nature of urban transportation. Transition theory has emerged as an academic field that explores ways in which such sustainable transitions can take place over time, with the 'Multi-Level-Perspective' (MLP) as atrusted theoretical framework. However, critics have pointed to potential shortcomings of this framework, in calling for transition analyses that are more sensitive to spatial and scalar characteristics - urging researchers to ask not only how transitions take place, but also whereit takes place. This study is a direct response to this critique in presenting a 'geographically embedded' (Coenen, Benneworth & Truffer 2012) analysis of an isolated enclave in CapeTown. The South Peninsula is characterised by areas of spectacular natural beauty, yet constrained regarding urban expansion and accessibility due to the mountainous terrain andareas of protected biodiversity. The transport challenges are consequently plentiful, andsocial dynamics around increased development pressure and basic service delivery needsare tense. The research followed a participatory approach in conducting a transdisciplinary inquiry exploring potential short-term solutions to everyday reliance on the car. It included a pluralistic methodological approach combining a variety of research methods including the case study method (Yin 2009), netnography to study societal behaviour on a purposive social media group (Kozinets 2010), and a theoretical thematic analysis to reflect on the application of a transition theory framework, the MLP (Geels 2002).In support of transdisciplinary research (Hadorn et al. 2008; Brown, Harris & Russell 2010; Pohl 2010), principal findings are grouped into potential societal and scientific contributions. To this end, the research uncovered an interest for bottom-up societal solutions such as alocal school bus and modern carpooling systems based on mobile phone technology. The study contributes to knowledge (science) in providing a transition analysis, using the MLP, that shows a myriad of forces and actors at play that renders a transition to a sustainable alternative in the near future doubtful. On the other hand, the research supports a critique of the MLP in showing that physical space (isolated enclave) and relational space (shared beliefs and perceptions) are significant factors that sustain inaction on the part of residents and authorities situated across geographic and institutional scales.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University