Immobility as well-beingCreating alternatives to pro-mobility discourses

Antonio Ferreira – University of LeedsLuca Bertolini – University of Amsterdam

Petter Næss – Norwegian Univ. of Life SciencesGreg Marsden – University of Leeds

Dr Antonio FerreiraEmail: a.c.ferreira@leeds.ac.uk

Research Fellow in Governance and Transport PoliciesInstitute for Transport StudiesUniversity of Leeds

Setting up a vision for transport

Vision element 1: from transport for GDP to well-being

In the UK:“It is increasingly understood that traditional economic measures are necessary, but not sufficient, to reflect a nation's overall progress or well-being.”

ONS. (2012). First ONS Annual Experimental Subjective Well-Being Results. Retrieved from http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171766_272294.pdf

In France:“the time is ripe for our measurement system to shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being. And measures of well-being should be put in a context of sustainability.”

Stiglitz, J. E., Sen, A., & Fitoussi, J.-P. (2009). Report by the commission on the measurement of economic performance and social progress. Retrieved from www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr

Vision element 2: from carbon intensive to… something else!

The Stern Review:“The benefits of strong, early action on climate change outweigh the costs.”

Stern, N., Peters, S., Bakhshi, V., Bowen, A., Cameron, C., Catovsky, S., . . . Zenghelis, D. (2006). Stern Review: The economics of climate change. London: HM Treasury. Retrieved from http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1169157/Stern%20Report_Exec%20Summary.pdf

Vision: Transport sustainability meets well-being… but how?

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Electric_car_charging_Amsterdam.jpg

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ciclismo_en_Amsterdam.jpg

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goats_and_cheesemaking_workshop,_Maker_Faire_2011.jpg

Electric cars Cycling “Maker Faire”

Understanding “well-being”

Understanding “well-being”

Two views on well-being

Hedonic(satisfaction)

Eudaimonic(fulfilment with life)

Diener, E. (2009). The science of well-being: The collected works of Ed Diener, volume 1. Dordrecht: Springer.Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological wellbeing.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081.Vos, J. D., Schwanen, T., Acker, V. V., & Witlox, F. (2013). Travel and subjective well-being: A focus on findings, methods and future research needs. Transport Reviews, 33(4), 421-442.

Presence of positive feelings

Absence of negative feelings

Overall satisfaction with life

Self-acceptance

Positive social relationships

Personal growth

Purpose in life

Environmental mastery

Autonomy

Personal expression

Understanding “well-being”

Two views on well-being

Hedonic(satisfaction)

Eudaimonic(self-realisation)

Presence of positive feelings

Absence of negative feelings

Overall satisfaction with life

Self-acceptance

Positive social relationships

Personal growth

Purpose in life

Environmental mastery

Autonomy

Personal expression

Diener, E. (2009). The science of well-being: The collected works of Ed Diener, volume 1. Dordrecht: Springer.Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological wellbeing.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081.Vos, J. D., Schwanen, T., Acker, V. V., & Witlox, F. (2013). Travel and subjective well-being: A focus on findings, methods and future research needs. Transport Reviews, 33(4), 421-442.

“In light of travel behaviour research’s strong roots in utility theory [i.e. economics], this bias towards hedonic well-being is no surprise. But well-being is more than satisfaction”Vos, J. et al. (2013)

Actually, it seems common-sense that feeling “fulfilled” is more important that feeling “satisfied”.

Well-being and mobility

The relationships between well-being and mobility

Well-being is affected by…

…experiences while being mobile.

…activity participation enabled by mobility.

…the experience of mobility itself.

…the possibility of / the potential of travelling.

Vos, J. D., Schwanen, T., Acker, V. V., & Witlox, F. (2013). Travel and subjective well-being: A focus on findings, methods and future research needs. Transport Reviews, 33(4), 421-442.

The relationships between well-being and mobility

Well-being is affected by…

…experiences while being mobile.

…activity participation enabled by mobility.

…the experience of mobility itself.

…the possibility of / the potential of travelling.

Vos, J. D., Schwanen, T., Acker, V. V., & Witlox, F. (2013). Travel and subjective well-being: A focus on findings, methods and future research needs. Transport Reviews, 33(4), 421-442.

However, a bias towards mobility is present here.

What about immobility?

The relationships between well-being and mobility

Retrieved from http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/bodhi-tree-to-be-planted-in-india-for.html

The relationships between well-being and mobility

Mobility and wings

“Having wings to fly”Common saying

“Flying too high can burn wings”Element of Icarus myth

Immobility and roots

“Deep roots are not reached by the frost”J.R.R. Tolkien

“Leaving home's a cinch. It's the staying, once you've found it, that takes courage.”

Catherine Watson

Introducing “immotility”

Introducing “immotility”

‘Motility’(Kaufmann)

‘Stagnancy’‘Immotility’

Mobility as well-being

Immobility as well-being

Frequent immobility practices

Frequent mobility practices

‘Liquidity’(Bauman)

Ferreira, Bertolini, Naess, Marsden (Under review). Immotility as Resilience. Environment and Planning A

The pro-immotility discourse: Potential benefits and drawbacks

(and therefore not a panacea)

The pro-immotility discourse: benefits and drawbacks

POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS

Subjective individual

- Sense of belonging- Kinship ties

- Sense of boredom- Sense of confinement

Political

- Development of local communities- Empowerment- Beyond geographical competition logic

- Disempowerment- Driven by / leading to xenophobia and narrow-mindedness

Sustainability and resilience

DIMENSION

- Reduced mobility- Responsible local production and consumption- Independence from global downturns

- Disconnection from wider networks of supply, support and rescue

Implementation - Opportunity for innovation - Sharp U-turn from present logic

Economy - Opportunity to develop a Steady-State Economy - Sharp U-turn from present logic

A critique on current (pro-mobility) discourses

A critique on current (pro-mobility) discourses

‘Motility’(Kaufmann)

‘Stagnancy’‘Immotility’

Mobility as well-being

Immobility as well-being

Frequent immobility practices

Frequent mobility practices

‘Liquidity’‘Vagabondism”

(Bauman)

Ferreira, Bertolini, Naess, Marsden (Under review). Immotility as Resilience. Environment and Planning A

Conclusion

The need for a holistic research agenda for transport centred on eudaimonic well-being

The need for a holistic research agenda

‘Motility’(Kaufmann)

‘Stagnancy’‘Immotility’

Mobility as well-being (wings)

Immobility as well-being (roots)

Frequent immobility practices

Frequent mobility practices

‘Liquidity’(Bauman)

Ferreira, Bertolini, Naess, Marsden (Under review). Immotility as Resilience. Environment and Planning A

Eudaimonic well-being at the heart of transport

(as “fulfilment” is more important than

“satisfaction”… no?)