Research Paper:Porter, G., Dungey, C., Murphy, E., Adamu, F., Bitrus Dayil, P., & de Lannoy, A. (2023). Everyday mobility practices and the ethics of care: young women’s reflections on social responsibility in the time of COVID-19 in three African cities. Mobilities, 18(1), 21-36.

 

WHAT THIS PAPER IS ABOUT

    • This paper is based on COVID-19 diaries written by young women who were previously trained as peer researchers in a mobility study in low-income neighborhoods in Abuja, Cape Town, and Tunis.
    • The peer researchers live in different situations, some with parents or extended family, and others have children in their care. They have all had to reconsider their daily socio-spatial mobility practices due to concerns about avoiding COVID-19 contagion.
    • The researchers reflect on various aspects of their mobility practices, such as the need for travel and the possibility of substituting virtual for physical travel.
    • They also consider which transport modes to take, the precautions required during travel, and strategies to cope with externally imposed rules and contingencies.
    • The researchers are also concerned about the potential impact of their decisions on the health of their loved ones at home.
    • The pandemic-induced responsibilities they face range from social distancing and mask-wearing to handling cash, greetings, and travel to funerals.
    • The personal interpretations of responsibility reported in the diaries show the complex relationship between everyday mobility practices and the care they provide within their households and other relational settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

READ MORE ABOUT ACTIVE TRAVEL AND PARATRANSIT USE IN AFRICAN CITIES: MIXED-METHOD SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ETHNOGRAPHY