The narrow concept of technology and problems of transport: Contributions of Feenberg’s critical theory of technology to critiques of techno-rational transport planning

Transport planning and policymaking have been criticized for positivism and instrumentalism that ignore many social and political aspects of transport systems. Andrew Feenberg’s critical theory of technology argues that the way technologies are understood has a profound influence on how they are managed in society. Abstracting technological principles from the social contexts of the use of technologies has enabled major technological developments. On the other hand, such an approach risks ignoring many effects of technical systems. This appears to capture well the phenomena diagnosed by critical transport scholarship. While Feenberg’s critical theory of technology addresses the issue in general terms, this article investigates whether the theory could bring new insights for both transport planning and policymaking. Firstly, the article identifies the basis of technical expertise in transport planning as lying in a narrow understanding of technology described by Feenberg. This explains the appeal and persistence of the positivist and instrumentalist approach in transport planning. Secondly, the characterization of technical expertise drawing from Feenberg could be used to complement transport policy studies to understand why certain issues remain unaddressed. Finally, broader concepts of technology, proposed by Feenberg, that include context and values could support a richer understanding of transport in the context of planning and better inclusion of social and environmental concerns in the context of transport policymaking.