Urban transport as a social construct: Reimagining transport’s role in urban studies

Abstract

This essay seeks to cultivate a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the social dimensions of urban transport. Through a historical account of theoretical developments and an overview of contemporary trends, we propose a framework for conceptualising urban transport as a social construct. This perspective encourages a shift away from seeing transport as physical and spatial entities to emphasising the complex social dynamics that underpin the functional aspects of transport systems. Grounded in social constructivist thinking and critical theoretical traditions, our framework offers an integrative foundation for connecting three key strands of urban transport scholarship: individual-level analyses that link transport to quality of life outcomes such as well-being, opportunity and exclusion; collective-level perspectives that position transport systems as arenas of social meaning, contestation and mobility flows; and systemic-level investigations into the co-evolution of transport infrastructures with broader societal structures and power relations. We argue that, as societal shifts – such as growing socio-economic inequities, post-COVID transformations and the rise of digital transport economies and new mobility options – continue to reshape mobility, a sociological approach becomes increasingly relevant in understanding transport’s evolving role in urban life. By framing urban transport as a social construct, we aim to establish a critical and socially–embedded understanding of urban transport, catalyse new dialogues on how social, cultural and political forces shape and are shaped by urban transport systems, and pave the way for research that not only analyses but also seeks to transform the social dimensions of urban transport.