Violent traffic : Men, Masculinities and road conflicts in ’cycling friendly’ Sweden

• When cyclists begin to take up more space in traffic than before, conflicts appear. The number of cyclists in Stockholm city has increased with more than 70 % in a decade (150 000 cyclists/day). In Sweden, a country where cycling is considered ‘normal’ and relatively ‘safe’, there have been media reports about “hatred” against cyclists when describing the antagonism between (male) cyclists and (male) car drivers, as well as between cyclists and pedestrians, in traffic-dense environments. A male cyclists comments to the Swedish Television about the Stockholm traffic situation: ”There is a general hatred towards cyclists. Things are thrown at me, I got spayed with windscreen washer fluid etc. It’s way too much of that” (van Luik 2013). Given the current political renaissance of cycling in Sweden, conflicts between more or less vulnerable road users are becoming increasingly important to investigate in a society where the hegemony of the car needs to be challenged in favor of more sustainable travel.The aim of this presentation is to, based on media material, interviews and cyclists online discussion-forums, discuss cyclist’s situation in traffic-dense environments from an intersectional gender and violence perspective. Violence, with its multiple and varied forms and expressions, takes many forms. In this presentation, I address violent traffic, hence bringing discussions about violence in traffic to the analytical core. Following this, the presentation addresses not only the conditions for achieving sustainable mobility in a culture where the hegemony of the car is being challenged, but the need to problematize men and masculinities in relation to sustainable mobilities and urgent shifts in mobility patterns. 

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Genusstudier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Gender Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

gender

violence

masculinity

bicycling

sweden

Gender Studies

Genusvetenskap

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)