Please join us for an online event hosted jointly by the Faculty of Public Health's Commercial Determinants of Health and Transport Special Interest Groups.
This webinar will explore motonormativity, the cultural, commercial and societal bias that normalises motor vehicle use and often obscures the significant health, environmental and social harms associated with car dependency. By examining motonormativity as an industry-favourable social norm, the session will consider how public health practitioners can use this understanding to strengthen advocacy for evidence-based transport policies that improve health, reduce inequalities and support more sustainable communities.
The webinar will examine both the concept of motonormativity and the evidence underpinning it before moving on to practical policy solutions. It will conclude with a discussion of how public health practitioners can influence transport policy and drive systems change.
We will hear from Professor Ian Walker, Kate Gray, Grant Ennis, and Greg Fell as they speak on Understanding Motornormativity and From Theory to Policy: Addressing Driving Harm. The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Speakers:
Professor Ian Walker
Professor Ian Walker is an environmental psychologist at Swansea University whose research focuses on behaviour and decision-making in transport. He has a long-standing interest in sustainable and active travel and is one of the leading researchers behind the concept of motonormativity. Professor Walker will introduce the evidence underpinning motonormativity, exploring why society often accepts harms caused by driving that would be considered unacceptable in other contexts and how these norms shape public attitudes and policy decisions.
Kate Gray
Kate Gray is a public health registrar training in Yorkshire. During her training she has worked on the health impacts of transport systems and the policy responses needed to address driving-related harm. She will discuss the implications of motonormativity for public health and the opportunities for action through evidence-based transport policy.
Grant Ennis
Grant Ennis is the author of the acclaimed book Dark PR: How Corporate Disinformation Undermines Our Health and the Environment. His work examines how corporate interests influence public understanding of health and environmental issues. He will bring insights into how narratives around driving and transport can shape public perceptions, influence policymaking and affect public support for change.
Greg Fell
Greg Fell is Director of Public Health for Sheffield and President of the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH). A longstanding advocate for tackling the wider determinants of health, he has been a prominent voice on the public health impacts of transport, air pollution, climate change and health inequalities. He will provide a public health leadership perspective on addressing driving-related harms and creating healthier transport systems.
Panel Members:
Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz, FPH President
Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz is President of the Faculty of Public Health. She is an expert in public health who has worked in a variety of public health leadership roles across health, social care, community voluntary sectors and Civil Service. Tracy’s specialist areas are tackling inequalities, the humanitarian aspects of recovery following major incidents, safeguarding against vulnerability and building resilient communities. Tracy refers to herself as ‘trying to tread gently on the planet’ as she champions environmental factors and the need to protect biodiversity.
Professor Daszkiewicz is the Executive Director of Public Health & Strategic Partnerships at the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board covering Gwent, the South East region of Wales. Tracy is a Visiting Professor at the University of West of England in the School of Health & Applied Sciences, where she also holds an Honorary Doctorate for her contribution to Public Health. She holds a second Doctorate with The Open University, she credits both these organisations with raising her. She lectures on Public Health and Emergency Planning at a number of universities. Tracy is Trustee for a Domestic Abuse charity, and a Community Governor at a Primary School.
Dr Margaret Douglas
Dr Margaret Douglas is a Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Scotland, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, and Co-Chair of the Faculty of Public Health's Transport Special Interest Group. Her work focuses on the health impacts of transport, climate change, health inequalities and sustainable development. Margaret will provide reflections on the practical opportunities and challenges of implementing transport policies that support population health.
