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Many cities are working to promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy form of transport. However, the growth of cycling is limited by problems of inequality related to social markers such as age, gender, and class. Cycling policies are often one-sided and neglect some urban citizens. This dissertation examines these issues in relation to a group of people who are crucial to the future of urban mobility but who have received little attention in the field of mobility transit: children and young people.  

The study uses action research methodology and mobility experiments. The results explain the changes produced through these processes, which challenge prevailing local practices and ways of thinking about mobility, transport and childhood. The study consists of two case studies, one in Jyväskylä and one in Amsterdam. The first case study focused on the capacity of local communities to deliver new forms of cycling governance. The study, conducted in a sports club in Jyväskylä, shows how the meanings and practices of children's independent cycling are linked to local communities' cultural perceptions of good parenting and childhood.   

The second study looked at cycling policy in the city of Amsterdam from the perspective of racialised working-class children and young people living on the outskirts of the city, who, despite good cycling infrastructure, cycle significantly less than their (native Dutch, white) peers. This sub-study sought to explain why local cycling policy fails to appeal to all children and young people in the city to the same extent. 

The main finding of the study is that regardless of whether the cycling policy context is more or less advanced, cycling policy makers face challenges in understanding the mobility cultures of children, young people, families and local communities. The study suggests that cycling governance should focus on the idea of cycling as an urban common, giving local communities more power over cycling governance processes. 

Jonne Silonsaari’s doctoral dissertation "Reversing the politics of youth velonomy: Realist action research on the pluriversal rationalities and representations of collaborative cycling governance" will be held on 15 November 2024 at 11 am (12 noon Finnish time) at the University of Amsterdam, at the following address 

Aula der Universiteit 
Singel 411 
Amsterdam 

The opponent in the public examination will be Professor Justin Spinney (University of West England) and Professor Patrick ¸éé°ù²¹³Ù (University of Lausanne). The custos will be Associate Professor Hannele Harjunen (Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥). The language of the dissertation will be English. 

Remote access to the defence:  

The dissertation is available in the JYX publication archive:  

For further information 

Jonne Silonsaari 
j.e.silonsaari@uva.nl