Exploring Mobility Justice and the New Mobilities Paradigm

In this episode of Booked on Planning, hosts Stephanie Rouse and Jennifer Hiatt sit down with Mimi Sheller to discuss her influential work, Mobility Justice: The Politics of Movement in an Age of Extremes. The conversation explores what it truly means to move freely — not just in terms of transportation access, but through a deeper lens that includes race, gender, colonial histories, global inequality, and the ecological crises shaping our world.

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Sheller introduces listeners to the concept of mobility justice, which expands far beyond equitable access to transportation systems. It is a framework for examining who gets to move, under what conditions, and with what consequences. Whether it’s a person navigating a city by bus, a migrant crossing a border, or a protester marching for justice — mobility is inherently political. Sheller emphasizes that mobility is shaped by fear, policing, violence, and discrimination, particularly for marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, Latinx, gender nonconforming, and disabled individuals.

A key distinction explored in the episode is between the “new mobilities paradigm” in the singular — which often refers to technological innovations like ride-sharing, electric scooters, and autonomous vehicles — and the new mobilities paradigm in the plural, which reflects a broader theoretical approach. This latter concept is rooted in academic thought and centers on the relational, embodied, and power-laden aspects of how people move through space. It challenges traditional transportation planning models and asks planners to engage more deeply with social and environmental justice.

Sheller identifies three overlapping crises that shape the current mobility landscape: the urban crisis, the migration and border crisis, and the climate crisis. Cities are facing growing challenges around congestion, pollution, and inadequate transit infrastructure. Meanwhile, restrictive immigration policies and militarized borders limit the free movement of people across nations. All of this unfolds within the broader context of the climate emergency, where mobility systems based on fossil fuels contribute directly to environmental degradation and displacement.

The conversation also reflects on how mobility has shifted over time. Between 2006 and 2013, auto-dependence seemed to be declining in the U.S., but by 2014 it rebounded. Then came the pandemic, which radically altered commuting patterns, transit ridership, and the use of public space. People moved away from dense urban centers, often increasing car dependence in suburban and rural areas. Road fatalities surged, especially among vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists, even as overall travel declined. Sheller suggests planners must reckon with these shifts and understand the broader implications for equity and sustainability.

One especially thought-provoking idea raised in the episode is the concept of the “mobile commons” — the notion that our streets, sidewalks, and transit systems are not just infrastructure but shared resources that should be governed with justice in mind. Sheller draws on examples from Indigenous land movements, bicycle activism, and protest marches to illustrate how people reclaim public space and challenge dominant mobility systems. She also emphasizes that mobility justice isn’t just about human movement — it includes animals, ecosystems, and the more-than-human world impacted by our infrastructure and transportation choices.

The episode closes with a call to action for planners, policymakers, and communities. Sheller urges professionals in the field to think more holistically and relationally. That means integrating transportation planning with land use, environmental systems, and even global supply chains. It also means reckoning with history — including legacies of slavery, segregation, redlining, and colonialism — and considering how those forces have shaped who gets to move and who is left behind.

Ultimately, mobility justice demands a new way of thinking about movement — not as something neutral or technical, but as a deeply social, historical, and political phenomenon. Planners and advocates must move beyond narrow definitions of efficiency or access, and ask harder questions: Who benefits from mobility systems? Who is excluded or harmed? And how can we design infrastructure that reflects a truly inclusive and just vision for the future?