Technologies and tensions in everyday Indian urban mobility
Overview
Transport services are increasingly booked through smart phones, yet travellers are often unaware of the impacts that changes in technologies have for operators and how they shape the city. This project engages with citizens of Bengaluru, India, and further afield by producing and disseminating a short documentary film that traces the day-to-day lived experiences of auto rickshaw drivers who form a key component of Indian mobility systems.
Aim and Objectives
The project aims to raise public awareness of the financial precarity of transport workers and the importance of cash in their everyday lives. Through increasing awareness, an expected benefit to the public and last mile feeder service providers is the reduction of conflicts that arise over fare payments and bookings. It is also expected that the film will lead to increased trust between users and operators. Transport services are one area where conflicts between wealthy, middle-class and low-income populations arise in India and raising public awareness is an important mechanism to break reoccurring patterns of inequality and distrust.
Research Approach
The film will be made accessible on YouTube and will be promoted most importantly by citizen lobby groups of Bengaluru (for example Citizens for Bengaluru with a social media following of over 10,000 members) and by the auto unions of Bengaluru (and potentially other Indian cities) who often use Facebook to engage with the public. The film will also be promoted by the PI researcher using the GCRF-funded PEAK Urban research website, blog and Twitter account and the TSU (SoGE) website news blog. Other relevant outlets for the film's dissemination will be identified as the project progresses.
Outputs
A short film will be released in May/June 2020.
In brief
Duration
January - June 2020
Funder
University of Oxford Public Engagement with Research seed fund
Partners
IIHS Bangalore
Principal Investigator
Dr Lucy Baker
Contact
Dr Lucy Baker