Climate change, travel and complex futures¹

Abstract

In this paper I examine various sociologies of the future. I argue that one future, of global climate change, is now exceptionally significant. This future is based upon certain sociological presumptions and thus sociology is central to its emerging contours and to its analysis. I examine one aspect of such a future, the role of travel and especially automobility within this emerging dystopia. I use some formulations from complexity theory to examine what might constitute an alternative to global heating and the scenario of 'tribal trading'. It is suggested that one feasible alternative is a 'digital panopticon' and I examine some small changes that might tip the system to such a post-automobility system. But there is no free lunch here. It is argued that the world may be torn between two bleak scenarios as a consequence of the twentieth century's exceptional degree of resource use, between a Hobbesian war of all against all and an Orwellian digital panopticon. The twentieth century would seem to be reaping its bitter revenge.

What Curriculum for Mobility and Transport Studies? A Critical Exploration

“…On the one hand, leading scholars are questioning what the role of mobility in contemporary society is, whether mobility is a good thing, and the extent to which we can afford to continue accepting its negative social and environmental impacts (Bauman, 2007;Ferreira et al, 2012b;Urry 2000Urry , 2008Urry , 2010. On the other hand, mobility is a valued activity and to change people's mobility patterns is a challenging task (Stopher 2004;Tennøy 2010) which requires complex approaches to be successful (Bertolini and le Clercq 2003;Banister 2008;May and Marsden 2010).…”

“…The challenge posed by the lack of sustainability of the transport sector needs to be addressed as well (Urry, 2008(Urry, , 2010WBCSD, 2001WBCSD, , 2004. What is the role of The previous reflections show that a number of KDSAs are potentially relevant for MTS.…”

“…Due to its influence on many social, financial, and environmental dimensions, mobility is also at the core of various debates about the futures of the economy, technology, and the environment (Banister, 2005;Bertolini, 2006;Hillier, 1996;Urry, 2008). The relevance of mobility and transport studies (henceforth MTS) remains therefore unquestioned.…”

Wicked futures: Meaning, matter and the sociology of the future

“…Sharing Berardi's sense of impending catastrophe, he argues that global capitalism itself is reaching the apocalyptic end-point because of various ecological crises, the consequences of biogenetic modification of human and non-human species, global and local struggles over increasingly scarce resources, and the intensification of economic and social inequalities. As Urry (2008: 276) puts it pithily: 'there are no good outcomes, only degrees of bad'.…”

Social dreaming and ecocentric ethics: sources of non-rational insight in the face of climate change catastrophe

“…The balance of probability is contested, of course. The optimism and ignorance of climate change deniers is challenged by the more apocalyptic and dystopian accounts of other voices (see, for example, Hansen, 2011;Lomborg, 2007;Lovelock, 2007;Urry, 2008). To speak of 'adaptation' implies a relatively simple swapping of one practice for another.…”