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Still Feeling the Car - The Role of Comfort in Sustaining Private Car Use

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  • Jennifer L. Kent

Abstract

In 2004, Mimi Sheller highlighted that emotions and sensations play a key part in sustaining the dominant culture of automobility. Sheller's work 'Automotive Emotions' has been followed by a decade of technological, social and cultural developments, many of which have enhanced the way we dwell in, and seek comfort from, the private car. Ten years on we are still 'feeling the car'. This paper draws on empirical research on the journey to work in a large auto-dependent city. It explores the function of sensory experience in sustaining automobility through contemporary impracticalities such as constraints on carbon and increased congestion. A practice theory frame is used to unpick this role and feeling the car is positioned as a subtle yet integral element cementing the practice of driving.

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  • Jennifer L. Kent, 2015. "Still Feeling the Car - The Role of Comfort in Sustaining Private Car Use," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(5), pages 726-747, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rmobxx:v:10:y:2015:i:5:p:726-747
    DOI: 10.1080/17450101.2014.944400
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Nitschke, 2020. "Reconstituting Automobility: The Influence of Non-Commercial Carsharing on the Meanings of Automobility and the Car," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Doody, Brendan J., 2020. "Becoming ‘a Londoner’: Migrants’ experiences and habits of everyday (im)mobilities over the life course," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    3. Senja Laakso, 2019. "Experiments in Everyday Mobility: Social Dynamics of Achieving a Sustainable Lifestyle," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 24(2), pages 235-250, June.
    4. Jessica K. Breadsell & Christine Eon & Gregory M. Morrison, 2019. "Understanding Resource Consumption in the Home, Community and Society through Behaviour and Social Practice Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Laur Kanger & Johan Schot, 2016. "User-made Immobilities: A Transitions Perspective," SPRU Working Paper Series 2016-13, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    6. Maeder, Stefanie & Stauffacher, Michael & Knaus, Florian, 2023. "Zooming in and out on everyday mobility practices in a rural, mountainous area of Switzerland," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

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