Site-specific differences in transition discourse: A comparative case study of the transition to urban cycling

Abstract

Cycling is considered a low-cost and sustainable mode of transportation for short distances within cities. Despite the ongoing transition in urban mobility, urban cycling and the influence of discourses on transitions are relatively under-researched. This thesis examines the discourse of urban cycling in two German cities. To this end, the transition developments and discourses were mapped over a period of 23 years by utilizing the MLP and MDD frameworks. Subsequently, correlations between the transition and the discourse were examined, and the cities were compared to identify differences and similarities. This study suggests that due to the repeated correlations between discourse and transition, discourse likely influences transition (and vice versa). Further, the dominance of discourse themes seemed to follow a specific hierarchy of cyclists' needs. Following Maslow's pyramid, discourses were largely dominated by the theme of safety. However, this focus shifted once safety was accepted as a sine qua non. Thus, it is assumed that the need for safety must be met (to a certain degree) before other topics come into focus. Moreover, it is suggested that resistance to street space reallocation differs by ‘type’ of space and reason for reallocation. In this regard, relatively little regime resistance was observed for space reallocations, which primarily served the safety of bicyclists and had relatively little direct impact on motorists. Furthermore, by applying the MDD framework, this study could quantify and visualize the different discourses observed, increasing their compatibility and supporting the understanding of discourse developments and identification of patterns. This can be most useful for future studies of transitional discourses.