Studenters transportval i urban högskolemiljö : En kvalitativ studie om samspelet mellan hållbarhetsmedvetenhet, vardagliga praktiker och strukturella förutsättningar

Sammanfattning

The transport sector accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions, which makes sustainable mobility an important issue within sustainable development. Previous research has identified a recurring gap between individuals’ sustainability awareness and their everyday behavior, particularly in relation to transportation choices. Against this backdrop, this study examines how students at Jönköping University reflect on and negotiate their transportation choices in relation to sustainability awareness, structural conditions and everyday needs. The study adopts a qualitative research design based on semi-structured interviews conducted with students at Jönköping University. The empirical material was analyzed thematically, with particular emphasis on students’ reasoning concerning transportation choices, everyday needs and structural conditions, and their perceived opportunities to engage in sustainable mobility practices. The findings indicate that the majority of participants express positive attitudes towards sustainable modes of transport, such as public transportation, walking, and cycling. At the same time, a clear attitude–behavior gap is evident, in which considerations related to time efficiency, convenience, economic resources, and flexibility frequently take precedence over sustainability ambitions in everyday practice. The study further suggests that students’ opportunities to engage in sustainable mobility vary considerably depending on factors such as distance to campus, access to public transport, and individual life circumstances. The study thereby problematizes the notion that individual attitudes and knowledge primarily determine sustainable transportation choices. Instead, the findings demonstrate that opportunities to travel sustainably are unevenly distributed and closely shaped by everyday and structural conditions, where accessibility, economy, flexibility, and geographical location play a central role. In this way, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how sustainable mobility in an urban university context is produced through the interplay between individual ambitions, everyday practices, and broader societal structures.