Historical institutionalism for critical transport studies: The politics of private railways in Tokyo.

Critical transport studies view transport systems as socially constructed and politically situated, challenging the prevalent approach centered on technical efficiencies and utilities in transport research. However, existing approaches have not sufficiently emphasized the institutional path dependen...

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Publicado en:Urban Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.) Vol. 63; no. 7; pp. 1483 - 1504
Autor principal: Liu, Yudi
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Sage Publications, Ltd. May2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: May2026
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        atl: Historical institutionalism for critical transport studies: The politics of private railways in Tokyo.
      aug:
        au: Liu, Yudi
        affil: Waseda University, Japan
      su:
        Tokyo (Japan)
        Historical institutionalism (Sociology)
        Path dependence (Social sciences)
        Cities & towns
        Transportation policy
        Transit-oriented development
        Railroads
      sug:
        subj:
          Historical institutionalism (Sociology)
          Path dependence (Social sciences)
          Cities & towns
          Tokyo (Japan)
          Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
          Line-Haul Railroads
          Short Line Railroads
          Passenger rail transportation
          Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs
          Transportation policy
          Transit-oriented development
          Railroads
      keyword:
        critical transport studies
        historical institutionalism
        path dependence
        transit-oriented development
        urban politics
        以公共交通为导向的开发
        历史制度主义
        城市政治
        批判性交通研究
        路径依赖
        critical transport studies
        historical institutionalism
        path dependence
        transit-oriented development
        urban politics
        以公共交通为导向的开发
        历史制度主义
        城市政治
        批判性交通研究
        路径依赖
      ab: Critical transport studies view transport systems as socially constructed and politically situated, challenging the prevalent approach centered on technical efficiencies and utilities in transport research. However, existing approaches have not sufficiently emphasized the institutional path dependence and contingencies arising from historical decisions. This study addresses this gap by introducing historical institutionalism (HI) as a framework for interpreting institutional stability and changes in rail transit systems and transit-oriented development (TOD). HI reflects a scientific constructivist epistemology to explain the power dynamics and historical contingencies underlying institutions. It complements existing lenses that focus on historical details, class relations, or everyday situations. An HI analysis of Tokyo illustrates how path dependence and contingent decisions preserve and reinforce a globally rare institution that encourages private rail transit entities to profit from non-transport businesses. This institution permits land speculation and underserves less populous areas because it expects rail entities to be self-financed through profits rather than relying on subsidies. Its continuous reinforcement has led policymakers and the public to take it for granted and rarely consider alternatives. Such HI insights allow transport research to critically understand how policies stabilize, change, and diverge, thereby informing theories and policymaking.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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