Collection

The Past in Present African Urban Mobility Systems

Submission status
Closed

Urban transport on the African continent is arguably at a crossroads. On the one hand, there has been a recognition that in many contexts, especially in smaller urban settlements, environmentally- friendly modes of transport such as walking and cycling are dominant practices in people’s daily lives. On the other hand, investments in some urban contexts enhance and develop car-dependent mobility systems (Mitullah, Vanderschuren, and Khayesi 2017; Sietchiping, Permezel, and Ngomsi 2012) with policymakers at a loss about how to invest in public transit systems. Unlike other urban contexts elsewhere in the world, private car ownership in Africa is low and many residents do not have access to motorized transport.

This special issue examines any contemporary urban mobility issues in Africa from a long term perspective.

Editors

  • Njogu Morgan Njogu Morgan  &

    Njogu Morgan

    Njogu Morgan is a PhD candidate in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research explores changes in societal acceptance of everyday bicycle use from a historical comparative perspective. This research project seeks to add to our understanding of the cultural dimensions of urban sustainability by focusing specifically on bicycle usage and attitudes to cycling in a Amsterdam, Beijing, Chicago and Johannesburg. This research is co-supervised by Professor Philip Harrison, University of the Witwatersrand and Professor Simon Joss, University of Westminster.

  • Bradley Rink Bradley Rink

    Bradley Rink

    Bradley is a human geographer, focusing his research and teaching on mobilities, urban place-making, identities, and tourism. His research foregrounds mundane and subaltern mobilities to make them visible in the everyday movements and circulations of African cities. Through his research, teaching and community engagement, he aims to better understand mobilities and the relationships they articulate between urban dwellers and the cities in which they live.

Articles (6 in this collection)