Cycling Activism: Bike Politics and Social Movements

This book explores cycling activism as a social movement, tracing its history from street protests to institutional lobbying and its role in shaping zero-carbon transport futures. It emphasizes the diverse visions of freedom and autonomy articulated through cycling by different generations of activists.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 28 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking book is the first comprehensive exploration of cycling activism through the lens of social movement theory, revealing that, despite vast disparities, bike activism can be seen as a continuous and interconnected endeavor spanning over a century and a half and across continents. Through a rich array of examples, from street protests to institutional lobbying, it underscores cycling's vital role in shaping zero-carbon transport futures, while also highlighting that cycling activism extends beyond the realm of bicycles and cyclists. Successive generations of activists have harnessed cycling as a means to articulate diverse visions of freedom and autonomy. By shifting the focus from social movement theory to understanding cycling activism, the author presents a series of case studies that illustrate and elaborate on a theoretical framework that enables the comprehension of diverse campaigns and approaches to change. This captivating book appeals to a wide range of scholars and enthusiasts, including those interested in mobilizing for social change, mobility and transport studies, social movement theory, and cycling studies.

The first full-length study of cycling activism through the lens of social movement theory, this book demonstrates that, despite tremendous differences, bike activism can be understood as a continuous and connected activity spanning a century and a half and across continents. With examples from street protest to institutional lobbying, it emphasises cyclings current central importance to zero carbon transport futures, while showing that cycling activism is also not always about the bike or the cyclist, as successive generations of activists have used cycling to articulate different visions of freedom and autonomy. Moving from a consideration of social movement theory as a means to understand cycling activism, the author presents a series of case studies of collective action, organizations, networks, and campaigns in order to illustrate and elaborate a theoretical model through which diverse campaigns and approaches to change can be understood. As such, Cycling Activism will appeal to those with interests in mobilisation for social change, mobility and transport studies, and social movement theory, as well as cycling studies.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367535018