We have a new Call for Papers for a special issue on “Decolonising Research in Transport Geography”, in the Journal of Transport Geography. Please help us spread the word!

• Submission deadline: 30 September 2026
• See more info below and on this link.

Guest editors:

• Qiyang Liu, School of Urban Planning and Design, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
• Zihao An, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
• Rafael H. M. Pereira, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Brasilia, Brazil
• Zahara Batool, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
• Tim Schwanen, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Special issue information:

Transport geography, often dominated by Global North narratives, frequently applies established paradigms uncritically to diverse global contexts, particularly the Global South. This risks obscuring unique transport processes and their distinct local causes, implications, and responses. While foundational work has initiated crucial discussions on decolonising transport research by highlighting power imbalances and knowledge hegemonies, the past five years have witnessed intensified debates and theoretical advancements, necessitating a deepened and broadened engagement.This Special Issue offers an urgent and novel platform to advance decolonisation by fostering genuine knowledge pluralism. It challenges prevailing frameworks that inadvertently universalise not only which issues are deemed important but also how they are conceptualised and addressed. We advocate for methodological innovation and direct engagement with alternative epistemologies, moving beyond problem identification to proactive engagement. A key focus is on integrating indigenous and local knowledges into transport and infrastructure planning, promoting bottom-up approaches that truly reflect global complexity.

The issue places significant emphasis on the rapidly evolving urbanisation patterns and socio-economic transformations prevalent in the Global South. It addresses contemporary challenges such as the dual nature of informal transport systems (e.g., women’s safety, congestion) and the complex implications of emerging future transport systems (e.g., autonomous vehicles, MaaS) in potentially exacerbating inequalities. These complexities demand specific, contextually nuanced understandings that move beyond universal solutions. Ultimately, this collection fundamentally rethinks disciplinary tools and assumptions, critically reconsidering existing transport models and priorities from a decolonial lens to foster a more inclusive, equitable, and context-specific understanding of transport futures.

This Special Issue invites studies that proactively decolonise the discipline, moving beyond the reactive application of established frameworks. We encourage contributions that critically assess underlying assumptions, integrate multiple epistemologies, and engage with diverse conceptualisations of transport. We welcome theoretical, empirical, and analytical contributions that critically engage with the legacies in transport research and propose pathways towards knowledge pluralism and equitable transport futures. Papers that interrogate power relations in transport knowledge production, centre indigenous and local knowledges, and explore innovative decolonial narratives are especially encouraged.

Potential topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Socioeconomic roles and spatial dynamics of context-specific formal and informal transport in the Global South
• Emerging future transport systems and their societal implications in the Global South
• Social and environmental implications of informal and active transport modes in developing regions
• Governance and policy challenges in regulating and integrating diverse mobility systems
• Assessing Marginalised Communities’ Mobility Needs in Global South Contexts
• Indigenous and local knowledge contributions to sustainable urban transport and infrastructure planning
• Critiques of transport models and priorities: reconsidering paradigms in emerging economies
• Methodological innovations for decolonial transport research, such as participatory and context-sensitive approaches