Cities are not neutral spaces; rather, they have been shaped by historical and social inequalities. The organization of space has been built on models that prioritize productive work and automobility, and that are founded on sexist, ageist, cisheteronormative, classist, colonialist, ableist, and capitalist criteria. This approach has disregarded the centrality of care in the organization of urban life.
The resulting cities, neighbourhoods, and streets have not only ignored the needs of the population that does not hold socially privileged positions but have also hindered their movements and limited their access to basic infrastructure. Urban planning, therefore, does not only reflect inequalities of gender, class, racialization, age, ability, or sexuality, but also perpetuates and amplifies them. All in all, limitations in mobility reverberate in other fundamental rights, such as access to education, healthcare, employment, or housing.
Based on this premise, this thesis analyses the mobility of adults in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area from an intersectional perspective. This approach allows for an understanding of how different axes of inequality, such as gender, age, sexuality, or the experience of a migration episode, intertwine to influence travel. Trips on foot, by bicycle, and by electric scooter are studied, as well as the externalities of the traditional mobility paradigm. Hence, daily mobility is approached from a geographical, social, and environmental perspective, considering spatial positioning, well-being, and air pollution.
The results show that the experience of navigating the city is not homogeneous but is shaped by power dynamics. This influences the means of transport used, the speed of travel, the mobile experience, or the management of public space. Furthermore, these inequalities have environmental and social consequences, which impact both people's well-being and their access to the city.