Transportation Narratives
From Amsterdam Wiki
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Abstract
Beginning with notions of sustainability and livability, we narrowed our focus to the affects of transportation on quality of life. When compared to other cities, Amsterdam’s unique mix of bikes, boats, trams, and buses gives the city a distinctive flavor. As an interesting lens through which to study the city's transit infrastructure, we identified the Dutch word gezellig as a key indicator of whether any particular mode is "livable". It was an experiment of sorts, as natives tend not to associate gezellig's cozy vibe with the experience of navigating the city. We asked: In what ways is the Dutch notion gezellig present in Amsterdam's transportation systems, and what implications does this have for the city's livability?
Group Members
Jenny Abrahamson
Computer Science
Rachel McCaffrey
Environmental Studies Major, Community, Environment & Planning (CEP) Major, Urban Planning Minor
Background: Literature & Relevance
Amsterdam was recently ranked the 13th most livable city in the world [1]. Livability is a measure of quality of life. First, there are quantifiable indicators such as public health, education, transportation, neighborhood safety, affordable housing, and proximity and access to goods, jobs, and services[1]. On the other side is a less tangible part of the equation: the idea that in a highly livable city, people will experience ease, enjoyment, and a sense of belonging. To illustrate this relationship, Towards the Livable City points out that high levels of walkability indicates health, safety, and proximity to goods and services, while also contributing to the development of community since "walking creates an unspoken social network"[2].
Degree of livability varies among human communities. The places that both develop the quantifiable aspects of livability and that cultivate livability's intangible vibe are the ones most likely to endure. Why is a sense of community and belonging in urban places globally significant? We argue that a sense of ownership in urban spaces compels people to respect and protect those areas, making them inherently more sustainable and livable. As James Howard Kunstler writes in The City in Mind that, “a land made up of places not worth caring about will sooner or later become a nation not worth defending”.[3]
Related to the intangible aspect of livability is the Dutch notion gezellig. The word has no real equivalent in English, but was described in several places online as a word that “encompasses the heart of Dutch culture” [4]. From the blogosphere – which is where we first encountered it – we gathered that gezellig generally means cozy or comfortable, and connotes a sense of belonging or togetherness. Our use of gezelligheid as an indicator of livability in Amsterdam relies on the accumulation of data that forms the internal, social realities of city residents. The word is defined not in a vacuum, but subjectively and in context, and we found that “the best way to understand what is going on is to become immersed in it and to move into the culture or organization being studied and experience what it is like to be a part of it.” [5]. This process is called meaning making: “the notion of perspective transformation” [5] in which our analysis of the larger implications of a term like gezellig brings new meaning and explanation to phenomena such as livability. Gezellig in particular is a word in which contact with Dutch speakers is necessary:
"Not enough can be said about the language-context connection. A distinction as meaningful as the one between bullying and teasing is often to be found in exactly the same way in other languages, and it seems as if there is only one language worldwide. But in other cases, we not only seem to speak different languages, but even to live in completely different worlds. There are words which are untranslatable, because they derive their meaning from the landscape and the climate from which they were generated. ... The Dutch word gezellig is held to be untranslatable (closest possible translation is something like, but not exactly, cozy, pleasant, comfortable, snug). Rom Harré has stated that gezellig may look like the English word cozy, but at the same time it is also different. ... Being bound to time and place makes this type of word outstandingly context bound. To compare certain concepts between several languages, the explanation of competent users of these languages is absolutely necessary." [6]
Transportation is the connective tissue of a city[7], linking the people and goods that define urban space. City life demands that these people and goods move from one place to another everyday – be it to school, work, the grocery store, or the doctor – which makes the transportation sector both highly complex and significant to virtually all other aspects of the urban fabric [8].
Amsterdam is a multimodal urban center, with infrastructural support for walking, biking, driving, and public transit including buses, trams, the metro, and ferries. The city is famous for its bicycling culture: of Amsterdam's 750,000 residents, 550,000 have bicycles [9]. Due to the city's high density, 70% of trips are shorter than 7.5 kilometers which makes bicycle use feasible [9]. The availability of public transit is widespread and while the city is accessible by automobile, car use is discouraged and often unpractical.
Amsterdam is seen globally as home to one of the world’s most sustainable transport systems. When researching sustainable transport, the Wikipedia page we pulled up featured an image of a tramline in the Leidsplein area, directly in front of where we happened to be sitting at the time.
Sustainable transportation is transportation with a low environmental impact, which includes walking, bicycling, or mass-transit options [8]. Planning of public transit is a particularly difficult undertaking because of "the inability of most alternatives to match the quality of accessibility provided by private motorized transport"[8]. Sustainability demands that transportation be first and foremost about people and their goods. [10] The key is to provide a diverse array of convenient options. In comfortably dense cities like Amsterdam, where daily necessities are in close proximity, sustainable options become competitive. The transportation sectors in most American cities, however, cater to the automobile.
The current sustainability fad is rooted in a growing awareness of the very real environmental crises provoked by human activities “[f]rom global warming to biodiversity loss to patterns of sprawling land consumption” [11]. Development and improvement of sustainable urban areas is an essential step toward fostering a more stable planet as cities in particular have a spatially disproportionate ecological footprint.
For the first time in 2008 cities claimed fifty percent of the world’s population, a share that continues to grow as urbanization trends persist globally[12]. As hubs of consumption, metropolitan zones are often responsible for ecological damage through CO2 emissions, inefficient uses of land, and the large-scale production of waste; all problems affecting or being affected by the transportation sector. Cities are also, however, playing host to some of the most innovative solutions to these dilemmas as "present[ing] fundamental opportunities to both apply new technologies (such as public transit, district heating, and green building and design) and bring about major lifestyle changes (such as walking, cycling, and reductions in consumptions)" [11]. The relationship between sustainability and livability is not entirely clear, but research indicates that “cities will not be truly sustainable unless they are considered as high-quality places where people want to live”.[13] Some radical changes are needed globally to address the multitude of modern environmental problems, but cultivating livable, sustainable cities is a viable antidote.
The Research
Methods Strategy
- Discourse in the blogosphere
- Our project began when we first stumbled upon gezellig in an article on the Boom Chicago website, which described “that Amsterdam something…”[14]. By analyzing how gezellig was used and defined in the blogosphere, we pieced together a preliminary understanding of the term that we used when preparing for interviews.
- Secondary sources
- We also located quantitative data regarding the transportation infrastructure in Amsterdam and the city’s livability, which provided a foundation for the subjective information we later acquired through observation and interviews.
- Interviews
- At the heart of our project are the Amsterdamers who navigate the city. Thus, interviews with residents were a primary component of the research process. As non-Dutch investigators we hoped to gain an understanding of gezelligheid from firsthand accounts. We filmed our subjects so that we could preserve their answers, in their own words, for the purposes of presenting the various responses accurately. Initially, we asked participants to define gezellig, describe their experiences using the transportation systems in Amsterdam, and then to relate the two. Eventually, we limited the interviews to just asking subjects to pronounce gezellig, define the term in English, describe situations that are gezellig and situations that are not, and ask whether they ever felt gezellig when using the city’s transportation systems. Interviewees were chosen at random while walking around various locations in the city, also chosen randomly, including Oosterpark, the Jordaan neighborhood, Niewumarkt, and on the Ijpleinveer ferry. The sense that we were invading the private space of strangers faded with time, and especially with series of successful questioning. The frequent rejection to requests for interviews and especially filming was emotionally damaging in the beginning, but we eventually developed a system of establishing preliminary amicable eye contact before approaching anyone, and learned to merely shrug off the discomfort that came with each rebuff. The interviews provided us with what key indicators of gezelligheid to look for when observing Amsterdam’s transportation system.
- Participatory observations
- The second most fundamental aspects of our research process were our subjective observations of individuals using the city’s transportation system, and our own participation in it. Throughout our time in Amsterdam, we assessed the city’s transportation networks both consciously and subconsciously. Navigating the city was a frequent and necessary daily activity. We were able to achieve this during daily group activities, personal outings, as well as project-specific trips. We would rely on this accumulation of data when forming our impressions of the variations in gezelligheid of various transit modes. After determining the meaning of gezellig, relating the term to transportation required contextual reflection conducted in the field. Because our topic was unintuitive for the Dutch, relying on their accounts or literary representations was insufficient. Our project was a process of unpacking the meaning of gezellig and then locating evidence of it in the physical space of transit. This enabled us to analyze the implications of the phenomena like gezellig in transporation.
Affordances & Limitations
The discourse in the blogosphere provided a useful preliminary understanding of gezellig. One blog even made an argument similar to ours about gezelligheid and Amsterdam’s bicycling culture, which proved to be a useful when framing our research [15]. The blogosphere was certainly guilty of romanticizing the city and gezelligheid, however, which is why we felt it was important to hear explanations of gezellig from Amsterdamers themselves. Once we spoke with residents, we realized the extent to which the blogosphere may have mislead us, as most natives were unable (or unwilling) to see the connection between gezelligheid and transportation (more on this below). The secondary sources we referenced about livability and transportation in Amsterdam were useful for contextualizing our research, but most was concerned with the more concrete aspects of those topics, rather than the intangible questions we hoped to answer. Our observations were a valuable source for informing our answer to the first part of our research question about the ways in which gezellig is present in the city’s transportation systems. However, it was difficult to precisely know when we could label something as gezellig or not, because the term is subjective and contextual. We were often forced to make judgment calls, and our analysis of the implications of this for livability was hard to quantify. Such is the nature of our research.
We limited our research to the most common meanings of gezellig, which are positive. These were only meanings we encountered when conducting our interviews, and represent the majority of the rhetoric about gezellig that we came across online. However, it is important to note that the word is sometimes associated with obligation: "the word gezellig has a positive connotation for most people, but for some it is utterly unpleasant to have to be ‘gezellig.’" [6] Addressing this aspect of gezelligheid was beyond the scope of our research, although we believe that future research about this subject, and the dynamics of inclusion/exclusion at play with gezelligheid in the realm of livability would be a worthwhile topic to pursue.
Reflexivity
The realization that the Dutch didn’t connect gezelligheid with transportation was definitely unexpected. To us, biking around the city was novel and exhilarating, tram rides with our classmates were an adventure, and the intimate nighttime canal rides we observed seemed to be the very definition of the word.
Perhaps we were just romanticizing Dutch culture. We haven’t, for instance, commuted by bike in the rain, or had to sit on a crowded tram on a hot and humid day. On the other hand, as outsiders we brought a fresh perspective to the city, enabling us locate phenomena like gezellig transit in ways that the Dutch are unable to see.
Our video footage of the city's transportation system was initially compromised by the fact that we began our research convinced that gezelligheid was pervasive in the city's transportation systems. In searching for gezelligheid, we were blind to where it was pointedly absent. In the beginning of the collection process we returned with many minutes' worth of happy bicyclists, walkers, and canal boaters. Once we identified the negative associations of public transit, we attempted to document those aspects as well.
Analysis
As noted above, we quickly learned that gezellig is most commonly translated as "cozy". One blog illustrated the shortfalls of this translation by providing this photo:[16]
which English speakers would avoid labeling as cozy, though it is most certainly gezellig. A term like gezellig is completely absent from the English language, which we believe might reveal some essential differences between English-speaking and Dutch cultures.
Our interviews with native speakers largely collaborated how gezellig is described in the blogosphere:
Cozy and comfortable were repeatedly used. We received a mix of answers, however, when we asked whether one could feel gezelligheid alone. Most respondents indicated that they feel gezellig in the company of others (with family and friends), but at least three interviewees told us explicitly that they can and do feel gezellig by themselves. This emphasized gezellig's broad range of meanings.
Confusion over association between gezelligheid and transportation
The blogosphere and answers to our fieldwork interviews indicated that people readily felt gezellig in places like parks and cafés, but we were interested in whether it spilled over into areas related to livability, such as transportation. During our initial interviews, we attempted to engage strangers in lengthy conversations about the meaning of gezellig, their opinions on Amsterdam's transportation systems, and whether they believed there was a relationship between the two.
It was difficult to conduct this type of questioning. Most didn't perceive any sort of explicit relationship between gezelligheid and their daily commute. This realization suggests that even when gezellig is present in transportation, it is only sub-consciously so for residents. We believe, however, that an underlying sense of ownership of, and belonging in public space - or gezelligheid - should be an inadvertent consequence of a highly livable place.
Gezellig transportation
Interviews supplied us with key indicators to look for when identifying gezelligheid.
One blog said “the principles of gezellig [are] to make the ordinary extraordinary – and this requires both imagination and a happiness with what one has,”[15] which suggests that gezellig implies bringing excitement to the mundane. This is what we attempted to identify in our research.
Based on our informal observations and subjective experiences navigating Amsterdam, we determined that there is evidence of gezelligheid within certain aspects of the city's transportation infrastructure. Some modes of transit are more conducive to the feeling than others and we identified the "cozy vibe' in bicycling and walking, forms of active transportation, especially. Biking seems by far to be the most gezellig, whereas buses and trams are the least. The instances in which we observed to be the most gezellig were when a form of transport traditionally meant for individual use was being made to accommodate two. For example, as seen photo evidence, when a child’s seat is fitted to a parent’s bike, two people are riding a motor scooter, or a second rider is precariously balanced atop a bike’s back wheel, are all cases where we found the ordinary to be made extraordinary[15] .
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Ongezellig transportation
One place where we found a particular point of contention was with public transit. Even though this form offers exposure to other people that on paper seems to indicate aspects of community, we found a significant aversion towards it. This was attributed to the high cost, delays, and overcrowding. You’ll notice that in all of these pictures in which we felt we capture gezellig moments, none are on public transit except for the top one on the ferry. The ferries proved to be an exception. Multiple individuals indicated that the ferries are a welcomed opportunity to pause and enjoy a little quiet.
In The UnDutchables, Colin White and Lauren Boucke humorously describe the crowding, pushing, and shoving typical of public transit and describe the “Dutch law of motion: exit time is inversely proportional to distance from door,”[17] meaning the farther you are from the exit, the more likely you are to push your way to make it out of the vehicle first. It can’t go without being said that gezellig situations can and do occur on buses and trams at times: groups of school children riding together, or strangers bonding when communally traveling to football games. However, though the network of buses, trams, and the metro are widely available, Amsterdammers generally perceive them negatively. This may threaten the ability of public transit to remain competitive with unsustainable modes of transit, and may be harming the experiential aspect of transportation. The city should embrace their already extensively distributed system and make it a more enjoyable experience for its citizens.
Our findings are collaborated by the Netherland’s Department of Transportation, which surveyed the Dutch people about their subjective experiences with different modes of transportation. They found that biking and cars – both private modes – were associated with the most positive emotions whereas public transit was consistently related to the most negative emotions (right). [18]
Discussion
The words of a language reflect the concerns of its culture, and we believe that there is, in some sense, a gezelligheid to the city as a whole. The city's livability ranking demonstrates its high degree of the quantifiable aspects of livability, and the gezellig vibe seems to foster the other, unquantifiable element. It is places like Amsterdam, places characterized by both features, that are ultimately the most likely to endure.
In regards to the transportation system specifically, we found evidence of gezelligheid in certain areas which we believe makes those types more livable and sustainable: most often on bicycles, when people walk together, and occasionally on scooters. However, public transportation is an integral part of developing a sustainable city. In Amsterdam, the network of buses and trams is extensive, but the people don’t seem to embrace it in the way they do their bikes, scooters, and even boats. Auto-centric cities have proven to be harmful for the environment, and part of a sustainable transportation system is one that provides a diverse set of options that can be competitive with the comforts provided by the automobile. Although Amsterdam seems to uphold it’s reputation of livability despite this aversion, if the city were able to solidify a relationship between Amsterdammers and the mass transit system, this could strengthen the city even more.
Ideally, travelling via public transit should be affordable, convenient and reliable. If this isn’t the case, or even if it is, planners can accomplish a great deal by addressing the ‘soft’ features, such as the degree to which people experience pleasure or comfort. This could include providing free ride zones, having connections to festivals and other special events, and using media campaigns to promote the benefits and use options of public transit.
An interesting current example is the future North/South metro line. This has the potential to make ferries across the Ij obsolete. The ferries are an anomaly within the public transit system because they are free, convenient, and reliable, not to mention gezellig. This is a case where city planners can make choices that will perhaps influence the subject experience of transit – and it would be interesting to see how this plays out.
There are a myriad of areas in which this research could be taken further. Unanswered questions include:
- What happens when city planners take the emotional experience of transportation into account?
- How does a city's layout, specifically its density, play into livable transportation and the associated experiences?
- How does an extremely multimodal city like Amsterdam compare culturally to an auto-centric one, like many US cities?
- How does a gezellig transportation experience cause sustainable modes of transportation to become competitive with the (unsustainable) automobile?
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Quality of Living worldwide city rankings 2010 – Mercer survey. London, 26 May 2010 http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr
- ↑ Buckwald, Emilie. Toward the Livable City. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 2003, 59.
- ↑ Kunstler, J. The City in Mind: notes on the urban condition. New York: Free Press, 2003, xii
- ↑ http://karenm.posterous.com/gezellig-11
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Krauss, Steven Eric. Research Paradigms and Meaning Making: A Primer, The Qualitative Report Volume 10 Number 4 December 2005 758-770 http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR10-4/krauss.pdf
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Levering, B. (2002). Concept analysis as empirical method. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1 (1), Article 2. Retrieved Aug. 8, 2010 from http://www.ualberta.ca/~ijqm/
- ↑ "As Our Cities Grow, So Must Our Transit System" from Wired Magazine http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/04/as-our-cities-grow-so-too-must-our-transit-system/
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Bertolini, L. Le Clerq, F. "Urban development without more mobility by car? Lessons from Amsterdam, a multimodal urban region." AMEöAmsterdam Study Centre for the Metropolitan Environment, Universiteit van Amsterdam, March 30, 2002.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ministry of Transport. "Cycling in The Netherlands." 2009.
- ↑ Haufschild, D. "Transportation as City Building." San Diego Section of the American Planning Association" 10 October, 2008.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Bealtey, T. Green Urbanism: learning from European cities. Washington DC: Island Press, 2000.
- ↑ Handwerk, Brian. "Half of Humanity Will Live in Cities by Year's End". National Geographic. March 13, 2008. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-cities.html
- ↑ Kennedy, Rosemary. Dimensions of Livability: A Tool for Sustainable Cities. Centre for Subtropical Design, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Accessed 8/12/10: http://www.sb10mad.com/ponencias/archivos/c/C019.pdf
- ↑ Boom Chicago. "That Amsterdam Something." http://www.boomchicago.nl/en/community/real-amsterdam/index.cfm?i=199
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "The Bicycle and the Good Life." BeSpoke Online Magazine. http://bespoke.onthefourth.com/?p=761
- ↑ http://underdutchskies.com/?p=98
- ↑ White, C. Boucke, L. The UnDutchables. LaFayette Colorado: White Boucke Publishing, 2006, 20.
- ↑ Kennisinstituut voor Mobiliteitsbeleid, Beleving en beeldvorming van mobiliteit (Experiences and perceptions of mobility). Accessed 8/8/10: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/kennisinstituut-voor-mobiliteitsbeleid/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2007/07/03/beleving-en-beeldvorming-van-mobiliteit%5B2%5D.html
