Gender blind spots? Network structures and gender in smart mobility: Bangkok and Khon Kaen, Thailand

Abstract

Adding to the critiques of smart city planning being gender-blind, the issue of gender and mobility persists. Network governance, a collaborative approach involving diverse actors, presents a potential solution. Theoretically, this non-hierarchical structure fosters inclusive policy design. This research addresses a critical gap in literature by examining how network structures influence the integration of gender considerations in smart mobility programs. Feminist urbanism and network theory inform this study. Employing a qualitative approach with coding techniques, the research investigated smart mobility programs in Bangkok and Khon Kaen, Thailand. Data included interviews with nine informants across four stakeholder groups and 17 relevant documents. While network structures differed across the cases, the analysis revealed no significant variation in the strategies for integrating gender considerations. These findings highlight the need to focus on understanding gender in their respective policy arena, within networks, regardless of structure. The research concludes with policy recommendations for designing more gender-responsive smart mobility programs.