Unpacking mobility cultures: a review of conceptual definitions and empirical approaches

Abstract

While “Mobility Culture” is an emerging concept in transport science and policy, it is often defined and applied in different ways. We conducted a systematic literature review focusing on the definitions of the concept and how it has been approached empirically. We found that definitions of Mobility Culture are heterogeneous, often indirect and implicit, or missing entirely. We assigned papers to five definition groups based on similarity: (1) Objective and subjective characteristics, (2) subjective-only characteristics, (3) social groups and communities, (4) normative-sustainable notions of future transportation, and (5) papers lacking definitions. Among empirical papers, we identified three broader approaches: Comparative (e.g. city typologies or pre-and-post relocation studies), single-culture (e.g. place-specific mode choice, local discourses) and intervention studies. We discuss the suitability of these approaches for different research goals and how they relate to the definition groups. Overall, we observe a lack of conceptual clarity in the Mobility Culture discourse, which is also reflected in the frequent mismatch of definitions and empirical operationalisations. We recommend that future Mobility Culture definitions consistently acknowledge the phenomenon’s (i) complexity and multidimensionality, (ii) the relational character among its dimensions and attributes, and (iii) its sensibility for social and geographical differences.