Undone science, funding, and positionality in transportation research

A robust body of research in transportation has brought to light valuable findings and supported the development of important tools. However, crucial questions of “undone” science remain – topics and methods that current research practices could partially overlook. This review essay argues that transportation research could benefit from more critical reflection on researchers’ positionalities, the field’s emphasis on some methods and topics rather than others, and the role of funding. The article first considers the questions of funding influence and researcher positionality in the broader social sciences literature and then the implications of funding and positionality in transportation research. In the United States, transportation funding generally emphasises engineering fields and applied solutions; historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups are a small share of researchers. Because of disciplinary traditions, funding, positionality, and other factors, transportation research paradigms may give relatively less attention to social issues, qualitative data, and local knowledge, while emphasising quantitative data, modelling, physical factors, and infrastructure building. The purpose of this paper is to start a dialogue, using the social science literatures, information about the transportation field, and examples of the importance of social and qualitative methods. Collective dialogue about researchers’ positionalities and demographics, different types of knowledge, and the field could uncover important areas and approaches for transportation research and practice.