VISIONS
The centre aims to contribute to mobility research at the highest international level. C-MUS contributes to the development of theories, concepts and analytical frameworks of mobility studies as well as working with empirical studies embracing disciplinary approaches from urban studies, ethnography, geography, sociology, consumer studies, media studies, discourse studies, urban design, urban planning and management, city politics, urban traffic planning and engineering, and tourism studies.

The concept of ‘mobilities’ focuses on the complex intersections between diverse forms of physical travel of people; physical movement of matter and objects; virtual travel on the Internet; digital movement of images, messages and information; and communicative travel via text messages, telephones, emails, etc. Mobilities are partly seen as constitutive for the structures that frame social life in society, and it is within these mobilities that cultural patterns, actions, and identities are produced and reproduced. But, at the same time, social structures of different kinds (e.g. economic, political and spatial) are seen as constitutive for the ways in which mobilities develop. The aim of C-MUS is therefore to investigate the social and cultural bases for mobilities, not only focusing on the actual mobility in itself, but also on the potential mobility (motility), and to explore how potential mobility is transformed into different mobilities.

In particular the research undertaken within C-MUS aims at exploring policies and planning approaches to contemporary mobility in urban areas and regions. Furthermore, C-MUS aims at understanding the implications of transformations in mobility patterns for the everyday life of citizens across the world, with particular emphasis on understanding the way infrastructures work together (or against) physical mobility, with repercussions for cultural consumption, social interaction, environmental sustainability and aesthetic quality. In other words, what makes the research done within C-MUS innovative and trans-disciplinary is its ambition to analyse the production (e.g. design, planning and management) and consumption (e.g. use, reworking and resistance) of mobilities within a unified framework.

C-MUS seeks trans-disciplinary collaboration between its members and beyond, and works actively to provide external national and international funding for mobility research projects.

C-MUS RESEARCH IS PARTICULARLY BASED ON THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
How are different types of mobilities produced and consumed?
How do different types of potential mobility transform into actual mobility?
What types of stratification are related to the production and consumption of mobilities?
How do people, organisations and societies approach the demand for mobilities?
What ideas and rationalities of mobilities can be identified?
What are the sociotechnical dimensions of mobilities?
What are the driving forces beyond the diverse productions and consumptions of mobilities?
How do mobility policies relate to mobility practices in everyday life?
How can mobility futures be explored?

AND C-MUS RESEARCH IS PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
The politics and sociology of mobility
Everyday life and mobility cultures
Discourses of mobility and motility
Public domains and transit spaces
Technology and urban mobility
Aeromobility and air spaces
International business travel and tourism
Mobility regimes
Sustainable mobility
Changing (im)mobilities in a post-hydrocarbon world
Power, interests and mobility
Infrastructure and car cultures
Mobility visions and futures
Urban development and mobility changes: social structural conditions, power relationships, knowledge bases and decision-making processes
Economic growth, environmental sustainability and ecological modernization: the case of mobility
The influences of urban spatial structures on mobility
Megaproject policy and planning
Bias in large-scale transport infrastructure planning – causes and cures
The role of transport modelling tools and cost-benefit analyses in transport infrastructure planning
C-MUS works to create opportunities to discuss and exchange mobility research results at colloquia, research seminars, workshops, and conferences.

REGULATIONS FOR CENTRE FOR MOBILITIES AND URBAN STUDIES (C-MUS), AALBORG UNIVERSITY
§ 1. PURPOSE
§ 1.1. Centre for Mobilities and Urban Studies (C-MUS) is for researchers employed at Aalborg University (The Faculty of Humanities, The Faculty of Social Sciences, The Faculty of Engineering and Science, The Faculty of Medicine) and with research interests in mobilities.

§ 1.2. The centre has the following purpose:

The centre aims to contribute to mobilities research at the highest international level. C-MUS contributes to the development of theories, concepts and analytical frameworks of mobility studies as well as working with empirical studies embracing disciplinary approaches from urban studies, urban ethnography, urban geography, urban sociology, urban design, urban planning, city politics, urban management, traffic planning and engineering.

The concept of ‘mobilities’ focuses on how diverse forms of physical and virtual mobilities are produced and which possibilities and limitations such different forms of mobilities create. Mobilities are partly seen as constitutive for the structures, which frame the social life in the society, and it is within these mobilities that cultural patterns, actions, and identities are produced and reproduced. But at the same time social structures of different kinds (e.g. economic, political and spatial) are seen as constitutive for the ways in which mobilities develop. The aim of C-MUS is therefore to uncover the social basis for mobilities, not only focusing on the actual mobility in itself, but also on the potential mobility, and explore how potential mobility is transformed into different forms of physical, virtual, and social mobilities.

§ 2. ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING
§ 2.1.The activities of the centre include:

A website which presents mobility research at Aalborg University
Bringing mobility researchers from various faculties at Aalborg University together
Planning of seminars, conferences and workshops
Development of new and interdisciplinary mobility research projects
Courses for master students and Ph.d.-students in relation to mobility theory, methods and analysis
Support for the Master’s Programme in Mobilities and Urban Studies at Aalborg University
Making mobility research at Aalborg University more visible in the public debate
§ 2.2. To carry out the activities of the centre both internal and external funding is applied for.

§ 3. ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
§ 3.1. Organisationally the centre is hosted at Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology.

§ 3.2. The management of the centre consists of a management group and a centre board.

§ 3.3. The management group consists of a centre director, a deputy director, a research director and a teaching director. The management group is appointed by the board and is led by the centre director. The management group and the centre director take care of the cash flow.

§ 3.4. The centre director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of the daily management of the centre, including calls for meetings, chairing meetings and external representations.

§ 3.5. The deputy director is also appointed for two years at a time and takes part in the daily management.

§ 3.6. The research director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of developing and coordinating research initiatives and projects and takes part in the daily management.

§ 3.7. The teaching director is appointed for two years at a time and takes care of developing and coordinating the teaching obligations which the centre are responsible for and takes part in the daily management.

§ 3.8. The members of the management group must be academic members of staff at Aalborg University.

§ 3.9. The centre board consists of 9 persons and the founders of the centre are automatically members of the board. Members of the board must be academic members of staff at Aalborg University.

§ 3.10. One board member must be a younger researcher at Aalborg University. Election period and selection proceedings are decided by the board.

§ 3.11. If a member of the board withdraws, a new member is appointed by the board.

§ 3.12. Unanimity in the board is required in appointing new members.

§ 3.13. The board lays down rules of procedure and all important issues are decided by the board. Everyday decisions and management are governed by the director and the management group. The centre board functions as an advisory board for the management group and supports the development of the centre at the strategical level and the centre activities.

§ 3.14. The centre director has the full responsibility and the full disposal of the finances of the centre.

§ 3.15. The management group must approve of costs of more than 10,000 kr.

§ 3.16. In relation to all board issues (stated in the regulations) a simple majority is required to make a decision. When decisions need to be made between meetings, the procedure is that the centre director will notify all board members by email of the need to make a decision, and each member should reply within 7 days if they wish their views to be taken into account. If there is a majority among those who reply then the decision is carried out. If not, the director must canvass opinion once again, or postpone a decision until a meeting can be held.

§ 3.17. Each year the management group has to give an account for previous and future activities.

§ 3.18. The board meets 1-4 times each year.

§ 3.19. The centre director, management group and centre board are supported by a centre secretariat. The employees at the secretariat are engaged by the management group and the physical placement of the centre secretariat is decided by the management group.

§ 3.20. Besides board members C-MUS operates with two other types of membership: members and associates. Members and associates have no rights in relation to the decision-making of the centre.

§ 3.21. Members are employees at Aalborg University. A member will get his/her name on the website, be invited to all arrangements and will receive relevant information about the activities of the centre.

§ 3.22. Associates are people outside Aalborg University. Associates will receive information on events and activities, which are open for everyone.

§ 3.23.The board can, if they consider it necessary, choose to exclude a member or an associate from membership of the centre.

Aalborg University, December 2007

Revised December 2009

Revised June 2013

C-MUS Praksis – what is it?

Center for Mobilities and Urban Studies (C-MUS) has existed in more than 10 years as a cross-disciplinary research center at Aalborg University. Throughout the years C-MUS has collaborated extensively with external partners such as municipalities, engineering companies, and architectural studios. Because of this history we have now formalized parts of these collaborations under C-MUS in what we term “C-MUS Praksis”. This is a network with the purpose of bringing the Mobilities research in close and fruitful contact with the fields of practices related to urban planning and traffic planning. It is furthermore the ambition to integrate the burning issues and challenges facing the fields of practice into the research at C-MUS. This is for example the case with the new research field termed “Mobilities design”. A field which has already led to several collaborations. 

Members
Aalborg Municipality
Nordjyllands Trafikselskab (NT)
Aarhus Municipality
Aalborg University

Contacts
Associate Professor Ditte Bendix Lanng (dbla@create.aau.dk) and Professor Ole B. Jensen (obje@create.aau.dk).
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