With geographical social theories the challenges of mobility can be understood as an expression of the mutual relation between space and society. In a traditional sense, space can be seen as a system of tangible objects and their spatial relations, which are describable by parameters like density, distribution and distance. Within this context, settlement structures and activity locations form the spatial framework for mobility and accessibility. In recourse of younger sociological theories, space should however always be examined within the context of social practice. After all spatial forms and processes are the result of a comprehensive social structure and are consequentially produced and reproduced through societal negotiation processes. Existing power structures are reflected by the spatiality of everyday mobility patterns and the negotiation, development and stabilization of these power structures is being closely examined. Under this priority, social aspects of mobility are central. The discussion focusses especially on social exclusion which appears through the lack of participation in mobility, the lack of mobility resources and the spatially produced effect of urban traffic politics. In order to operationalise the dense interdependency and complexity of the interaction of mobility, society and space we also refer to the approach of urban mobility cultures.
Topic 3: Politics and the governance of mobility
The finality of fossil resources, the dangers of climate change or the lack of quality of life are only three examples that justify the necessity of acting on improving the present traffic systems. There are numerous scientific findings on possible alternatives to rearrange mobility within cities and regions. Even the willingness amongst municipal and private actors to redesign traffic systems has increased in the past years. Nevertheless, these efforts are often thwarted by the actual traffic planning and transport politics. Therefore a central research question within this research focus is the examination of barriers and chances of transformation processes within traffic politics and planning.
At the same time, there are numerous examples where political and planning actors utilise the available scope to design a sustainable mobility. For example, this is done through supply-related improvements (e.g. job tickets, ride sharing initiatives), marketing campaigns (e.g. individual marketing, marketing campaigns for new residents), economic measures (e.g. parking fees, road pricing) or planning measures (e.g. environmental zones, traffic calming). We are interested in questions concerning the evaluation of such measures, in regard to its societal acceptance as well as in regard to (direct and indirect) traffic-orientated, ecological, economic and social effects.
Current and finished projects on Topic 3
- Governing through traffic signals – an analysis of urban mobility governance exemplified for traffic signals. (Klinger)
- QuartierMobil: Persistence and dynamics in urban neighbourhoods. Strategies for the future of urban mobility. (Kirschner, Selzer, Müggenburg, Schwerdtfeger, Lanzendorf). pdf 167 KB
- Linking cycling with public transport - options for using synergies and improved interchange in the context of the 2020 National Cycling Plan (NRVP)(funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVI), Czowalla, Wilde, Lanzendorf) pdf 65 KB (in German only)
- Science Tours: Moving World – Shaping mobility in a sustainable way (Busch-Geertsema, Lanzendorf, Nöthen, Schlottmann) pdf 250kB
- Fare evasion: Motives, acceptance and recommended actions in the area of the Rhine-Main traffic association (Schwerdtfeger, Wilde, Lanzendorf) pdf 66 kB (in German only)
- Integration of long distance bus services: solutions for a more sophisticated connection between long distance bus services and local transport systems (funded by the State of Hesse and the HOLM (Selzer, Wilde) pdf 3331 KB, link (in German only)
- Carbon-neutral state administration in Hesse: Process design for the data documentation and collection on business trips (Lanzendorf, Wilde) pdf 315 kb (in German only)
- Mobility Management at Goethe-University (Lanzendorf, Schubert) Link (in German only)
- Corporate Mobility Managment – carbon-neutral state administration in Hessen (Lanzendorf, Wilde)
- Hybrid e-bikes as a contribution to a sustainable mobility system (Prill) pdf 72kB (in German only)
- A Concept Study for a Sustainable Mobility Management in Hesse (funded by the Hesse Ministry for Economic, Transportation and Infrastructure Development) (abstract in German only). (Lanzendorf, Blechschmidt, Meyer)
- Small Business – A barrier for the job ticket? Suggestions for the implementation of the job ticket for small businesses and micro-enterprises in the metropolitan region of Frankfurt Rhine-Main. In co-operation with the Kooperationsstelle Hochschulen und Gewerkschaften Frankfurt-Rhein-Main (Dr. Josef Hoormann). Funded by Hans Böckler Foundation. (Blechschmidt, Lanzendorf)
- „Bicycle mobility in Hesse“ as part of the project „Mobility 2050: Hesse – initiator for a new mobility“ in connection with the sustainability strategy for Hesse (Busch-Geertsema, Lanzendorf) final report (pdf 15MB) (in German only)
- „Personalised mobility scout“ as part of the project „Mobility 2050: Hesse – initiator for a new mobility“ in connection with the sustainability strategy for Hesse (Krause, Lanzendorf) pdf 89kB (in German only)
- Development of a socio-scientific research concept for electro mobility in the model region Rhine-Main – Subproject e-bikes/pedelecs (Klinger, Tomfort, Prill, Lanzendorf)
- Literature research „Assessing the quality of mobility in urban areas“ (Sicks, Lanzendorf)
- Securing mobility in rural areas under consideration of demographic change (Sicks, Lanzendorf)
- Mobility behaviour of adolescents and binding possibilities to public transport (Schönduwe, Lanzendorf) pdf 72kB (in German only
Topic 4: Digitalisation, technologies and new mobility
Digitalisation allows and enforces an extensive change of everyday environments, through which new opportunities, but also new dependencies are created. Thereby also our everyday mobility is undergoing a fundamental transformation. This shift manifests itself through new possibilities of an improved utilisation of consisting mobility services (e.g. travel information, navigation, ticketing) or through the development of new mobility offers (carpooling, car-sharing, multimodal online platforms etc.). This research focus has the aim to scientifically analyse the observable developments and to estimate expected forthcoming consequences, direct and indirect, for the mobility system. Further objectives are the identification of courses of action for private and governmental participants to actively design a digitalised mobility world.
Current and finished projects on Topic 4
- Mobility and transport in times of the digital turn: digitalisation, technologies and new forms of mobility (Busch-Geertsema)
- Sharing-Concepts for a Multi-Optional Mobility System in Frankfurt-Rhine-Main – Analysis of the recent development and nomination of further planning options for local and regional stakeholders (Kemen, Klinger, Lanzendorf) pdf 374 kB (in German only)
- Socio-scientific and Ecological Research for the Alliance of Electro-mobility – Success criteria in electro-mobility from the user’s perspective for intermodal mobility systems and non-work purposes (Groth, Krause, Lanzendorf) Link
