Ghosh, Bipashyee and Schot, Johan (2019) Towards a novel regime change framework: studying mobility transitions in public transport regimes in an Indian megacity. Energy Research & Social Science, 51. pp. 82-95. ISSN 2214-6296

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Abstract

Mobility systems in megacities are facing persistent sustainability problems. A focus on regime shift in transitions literature in addressing these problems reflects a western bias as it relies on niches as sources of change. In megacities like in Kolkata, India, public transportation is dominant, and actors are more concerned to improve and upgrade a variety of public transport regimes. In this paper, we develop a framework for such regime analysis and explore regime transformation as a pathway in between regime optimisation and regime transition pathways. Drawing from evolutionary and institutional theories of socio-technical change, we characterised these three pathways of regime change through changes in trajectories, rules and selection pressures. Applying this novel framework, we study socio-technical changes in the past 15 years in multiple urban public transportation regimes in Kolkata through a mapping tool which may be useful in policy contexts. We find that regime actors can act as front-runners in these change processes and that meta-rules guide directionality of change. We conclude on how sustainability transitions can happen right away within existing regimes, without recourse to niche development.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Regime transformation, Sustainability transitions, Regime rules, Public transport, Urban mobility, India
Schools and Departments:	University of Sussex Business School > SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit
Research Centres and Groups:	The Sussex Energy Group
Subjects:	H Social Sciences H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and communications > HE0305 Urban transportation J Political Science > JQ Political institutions and public administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.) > JQ0021 Asia
Depositing User:	Bipashyee Ghosh
Date Deposited:	18 Jan 2019 12:11
Last Modified:	02 Jul 2019 13:18
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/81338

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