Gendered Exploration of Emotive and Instrumental Well-being for Cyclist Woman in Latin America
Urban Mobility and Social Equity in Latin America: Evidence, Concepts, Methods
ISBN: 978-1-78769-010-3, eISBN: 978-1-78769-009-7
Publication date: 16 November 2020
Abstract
The research and practices associated to expand the use of active travel have shown extensive benefits on the overall assessment of well-being. However, cycling is still unequal considering age and gender. Therefore, further research is needed for contributing to the wider and more inclusive use of the bicycle for women.
The chapter aims to explore and differentiate the emotive and instrumental subjective well-being (SWB) factors that make cycling especially favourable for women, contributing to their general well-being. The chapter also inquiries about the factors that expand women’s opportunities as consequence of cycling.
The research is focussed in the context of Latin American cities, building on the experience of experts in Santiago, Bogotá, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. These cities have had a substantial increase in urban cycling, and yet low rates of cycling women when compared to men.
The nature of the research is qualitative as it considers semi-structured interviews with 21 women experts from non-governmental organisations, academia, government and cycling organisations. The questions have been framed under the concepts of the SWB, considering emotive and instrumental factors.
The findings show that self-esteem, freedom, empowerment and happiness are some of the emotive factors that have emerged from the analysis of interviews. On the side of instrumental factors, cycling emerges as relevant for women’s care role, entrance to the labour market and for strengthening social relationships leading to the promotion of social capital. Social factors have also emerged, mostly related to the advantages of socialisation, democracy and cycling as a political symbol.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
AcknowledgEments
Sincere thanks to the women cyclists, activists, mothers, academics and professionals, who agreed to give some of their time for interviewing them. We had exciting and engaging conversations, and all of them were fundamental for the development of this research, which will be a kick-off to a more extensive mixed-methods research in the future.
Citation
Lira, B.M. (2020), "Gendered Exploration of Emotive and Instrumental Well-being for Cyclist Woman in Latin America", Oviedo, D., Duarte, N.V. and Pinto, A.M.A. (Ed.) Urban Mobility and Social Equity in Latin America: Evidence, Concepts, Methods (Transport and Sustainability, Vol. 12), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-994120200000012010
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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