Event: Dr Ian Walker talks about 'motonormativity' explaining why people can't hear about problems/threats arising from motor cars, rather, they see them as 'unchangeable' and 'inevitable''
Prof Ian Walker recently gave a public talk in Pōneke, Wellington, NZ, at Victoria University of Wellington on his study of "Motonormativity".
On October 13, he gave a similar address, organised by The Sensible Transport Institute, at a venue in Melbourne, the home of the Bicycle Network. Prof Walker asks: "Why do we expect pedestrians to stand and wait in the rain while people in cars are given priority? Why do our media present deaths and injuries on the road as unpredictable, and outside our control? Why do people think nothing of transporting four empty seats around with them at all times?This talk suggests these outcomes arise from a shared blind spot within our culture, known as motonormativity.
This makes us see driving as the default mode of transport, and makes us see the many problems arising from living with cars as inevitable.Ian Walker looks at how motonormativity arises, how it is shaped, and most importantly, what we might do about it if we want to enable healthier, more inclusive and more sustainable lifestyles.
More episodes from "Climate Conversations"
Don't miss an episode of “Climate Conversations” and subscribe to it in the GetPodcast app.
