The introduction of social exclusion into the field of travel behaviour

The issue of social exclusion is becoming increasingly important in a number of research fields, including that of travel behavior. This paper summarizes key issues surrounding social exclusion that emerged from a workshop held by the International Association of Travel Behaviour Research. Five key areas were covered in the workshop: (1) defining social exclusion; (2) measuring the phenomeon of social exclusion in the context of travel behavior; (3) the influences and interventions that characterize social exclusion and changes therein; (4) how social exclusion relates to society as a whole; and (5) the importance of placing social exclusion at the heart of research into travel behavior. It was concluded that the travel behavior research community should begin reexamining its knowledge base and toolbox of data gathering methods and analytical techniques in order to determine the extent to which the toolbox is already equipped to tackle the observation and understanding of the interactions between personal travel and social participation. It will also enable travel behavior researchers to refine their approaches to reflect any identified shortcomings.