A clarification: I did not mean to suggest that bicycling as transport was the only meaningful avenue of inquiry or that transport journals are the only mainstream journals that are relevant to bicycling research. My more general point is that I think it is healthy if bicycling research makes its way into mainstream journals in all kinds of fields so that it doesn't become marginalized as a side topic without relevance to the broader fields in which we all reside.
Susan
-----Original Message-----
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Patton
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 9:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Strands of research, types of journals
Hello all,
I bridge across several divides that have arisen in this discussion, and thought I'd add my two cents.
I've been researching or working professionally on "bicycle stuff" for more than 25 years. When I began work for the Master's, there was scant academic thinking on bicycles, but an influential paper from sociologists Pinch and Bijker treating events in bicycle history - but really arguing for theoretical and methodological approaches within science and technology studies - stimulated me and countless others.
When I met Trevor Pinch several years later, he confessed to being amazed that that one paper had quite defined his career (up to that point).
I wouldn't want to lose that kind of surprising richness by focusing on bicycles as transport. In fact, in my work as a bicycle and pedestrian transportation planner, which I love, I see transportation is only one mode (if you will) through which to approach and understand bicycles.
There's also sport, equity, engineering, safety, development, gender, the global commodity industry, voluntary associations, technological history and evolution, not to forget geography, my nominal academic field. Let's add sustainability, livability, governance and administration, and the positive regard within urban design in which bicycles are now held. Bike share anyone? Creative class?
Bicycles as transport doesn't quite cover it.
And as for "mainstream" journals ... I'm not sure any transportation journal is in the mainstream for a constructivist sociologist, or vice versa.
Best regards,
David Patton
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