Biketivism and Technology: Historical Reflections and Appropriations

Abstract

In Western society bicycling is commonly perceived as either a sport, a form of leisure, an activity for children, or at best, a utilitarian transportation technology. In this paper, I contest these assumptions by discussing ways in which both bicycling and bicycle technologies are politicized as a response to the cultural, social and political norms of Western society.Through historical examples that include 19th century Socialists, 'first wave ' feminists, and 1960's Dutch Anarchists, I provide a theoretical context in which one can understand how present day activists appropriate the bicycle through a dialectic of action and communication. In short, I demonstrate how a seemingly neutral technology (the bicycle) and an everyday activity (bicycling can be utilized as tools for dissent, protest, and cultural critique.Bicycle activism, or biketivism, is multi-faceted, contemporary form of social activism that appropriates and politicizes the bicycle as a powerful weapon against the homogenizing impetus of the automobile industry and "car culture"; a term that has been used by bicyclists and transportation activists in reference to the direct relationships between automotive technologies and the development of an undesirable popular culture. Specifically, "car culture" refers to a particularly American ideology that values automotive mobility at the expense of public transportation, ecological health, sustainable growth, and safety. Among the most obvious symbols of American "car culture" are the suburbs (which contribute to "white flight" from the city and the decay of urban areas), strip malls, endless miles of paved roads (most of which restrict access by other forms of transportation), and an ongoing traffic problem that reduces the efficiency of automobiles to approximately 5 miles an hour, when one divides the average amount of hours (a year) spent in cars by the number of miles traveled. 1 Zack Furness is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a dissertation on bicycles, activism, and technology. Zack is also a member of the Bad Subjects production team and the singer for Voice in the Wire. Downloaded by [UZH Hauptbibliothek / Zentralbibliothek Zürich] at 14:53 17 September 2013 402 Z. FurnessLike many culture jammers, biketivists have an astute understanding of the relationship between commodities, space, and technology, and they politicize the bicycle as both an alternative form of transportation, and as a radical critique against cars. Biketivism has a number of different components that are indicative of the wideranging political affiliations, attitudes, and technological dispositions of the people who make up this burgeoning movement. In addition to legitimately integrated bicycle advocacy groups and alternative transportation organizations, biketivism is lived and advocated through; (1) direct action groups such as Critical Mass; a non-heirarchical, non-dogmatic, international organization of cyclists who occupy hundreds of city st...

Think regionally, act locally?: gardening, cycling, and the horizon of urban spatial politics

“…The history of the contemporary bicycle movement is shorter by comparison, but since its widespread adoption in the late 19 th century, the bicycle has been periodically proposed as a revolutionary technology (Furness, 2005;Illich, 1973). However, aside from some experiments in college towns like Davis, California or Madison, Wisconsin, the "bike boom" of the 1970s had few ambitions to change urban life itself.…”

Elite and ethical: The defensive distinctions of middle-class bicycling in Bangalore, India

“…This significantly limits the potential of bicycling communities to usher in more egalitarian roads and public spaces, especially as bicycling in Bangalore, like in other cities like San Francisco, is evolving into a distinctive and depoliticized middle-class sub-culture. Resuscitating the bicycle’s role as a vehicle of social transformation (or engendering “biketivism” in Furness’ (2005) words) would require bicycling movements to move beyond exclusively elite leadership, which has been demonstrably successful in changing the social practices (Birtchnell, 2012), but has hitherto failed to include diverse perspectives.…”

Women, Cycling, and the Public Sphere: How Discursive and Community Practices Affect Engagement

“…Cyclists that Aldred interviewed also tied cycling to "independence and freedom" (p. 44) and some related this to a feeling of happiness as well. Relationship to place also figured prominently in cyclist identity construction -cyclists reported feeling more connected to and able to experience their local surroundings when cycling (an observation supported by Furness (2005a;2005b) and Horton (2007)). She also found that these cyclists tended to locate themselves as within a broader cycling community even if they didn't actively participate in activist efforts and to express a sense of fellow feeling with passing cyclists -as though all cyclists shared an affinity through the act of cycling.…”

“…Being able to freely travel is necessary if one wishes to speak publicly and engage civically. 1 Early feminists active at the turn of the 19th century, such as suffragists Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony, lauded the feminist potential of the bicycle as a means of freedom to travel and challenge conventional gender norms (Bly, 1896;Furness, 2005a;Strange & Brown, 2002;). The intersection of women and bicycles in the 1890s is one of the factors that forced Americans to grapple with the social order and women's place and function in it, as the numerous columns in newspapers devoted to the topic can attest (see Chapter Two for an indepth consideration of this history).…”

“…Bicycling is a key part of mutual engagement for Emerge, and this is not accidental. Bicycling has a long history of being tied to progressive change (Furness, 2005b;Garvey, 1995: Park, 2001), which is part of what Emerge is dedicated to. But, aside from that, bicycling is a practice that slows people down at the community and individual level, making for a more accessible environment so riders can connect with and observe their surroundings.…”