Outside of the Box
Bringing a much-needed outsider perspective to cycling in Flanders, Meredith Glaser, Bicycle Chair at the University of Ghent, aims to ask some uncomfortable questions, see the unseen patterns, and help the Ministry of Public Works and Mobility overcome the systems of inertia that affect the take-up of cycling.
Interview with Meredith Glaser, elaborated by Alessia Giorgiutti.
POLIS: Let us start by discussing your role as Bicycle Chair at UGhent. You have had a few months since your appointment in February 2024. Could you share your professional and personal goals for this position? Also, how do you see your developing work and how it might influence Flanders?
Meredith Glaser: We are currently developing the research agenda for the Chair of Cycling, collaborating with our Advisory Commission, which includes stakeholders like the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, Fietsberaad, and experts from various fields such as health, psychology, and transport. By this fall, we aim to finalise the research agenda.
My initial pitch focused on three areas: studying Ghent's transition to sustainable mobility, including its street design and policy integration; exploring regional planning in Flanders, particularly the connection to rural areas often overlooked in urban-focused cycling research; and investigating systems of inertia in policymaking, which prevent cities from implementing known best practices in cycling.
POLIS: Could you elaborate on your proposal's three pillars—Ghent, rural Flanders, and inertia?
Glaser: Certainly. Ghent is a key area of focus, not just for cycling but for governance and street design, too, and I aim to explore how these link to other urban policies like housing and employment, as well as how such policies affect cultural attitudes toward policy changes. Ghent’s circulation plan, introduced by the deputy mayor amid interest and controversy, is of particular interest as it represents a significant shift in transportation policy.
In rural Flanders, I’m interested in the connection between rural areas and regional planning.
Most cycling research tends to focus on urban areas, but there’s a need to integrate smaller cities and municipalities into the discussion.
As for understanding what I call ‘systems of inertia’—where resistance to change comes from various levels of society and governance—I am exploring the forces that slow down or prevent the implementation of known best practices in cycling and mobility. We often know what policies work, yet many cities struggle to implement them, and I want to study where this inertia comes from—whether it is public sentiment, organisational challenges, or other factors—and how we might address it and identify effective interventions for it.
POLIS: So, are these three areas—Ghent, rural Flanders, and systems of inertia—the core of your research?
Glaser: Yes, but there are other dimensions, too, such as health and social equity. My background in public health informs my interest in how cycling impacts different communities. For example, varying access to services or differing policy environments can significantly affect health outcomes. These issues intersect with the broader topics I’m focusing on, particularly in rural areas and urban transitions like in Ghent.
POLIS: You have a unique background, coming from the United States and now working in Europe. How does your experience, especially in places like California—where you come from—and Amsterdam—where you are currently based—influence your approach in Flanders?
Glaser: When I was appointed, there was some scepticism on social media about an American leading cycling research in Flanders. But I see my outsider perspective as an asset. My background allows me to notice patterns and differences that might be overlooked by those within the system.
POLIS: That outsider’s perspective also means thinking outside the box. It is great that you have embraced it despite initial scepticism.
Glaser: My personal experience growing up in suburban California, where car dependency was so easily accepted as the status quo, contrasts sharply with my current life in the Netherlands, where my children grow up with a very different mobility experience. This gives me a unique perspective on how environments shape behaviour, which is crucial in my research in Flanders.
That being said, I’ve been living in Europe for nearly 15 years and I have been exposed to different cultures and lived in many countries around the world since a very young age: my curiosity about different systems and places drives both me and my work. This position is experimental—the first of its kind in Belgium—so it requires someone very inquisitive, open-minded, and eager to learn.
POLIS: Speaking of different environments, you are based in Amsterdam but work in Ghent, two cities often seen as similar, yet with distinct characteristics. What are the key similarities and differences you see in terms of mobility, and what opportunities do you see for knowledge exchange between them?
Tram line T4 in the Belgian city of Ghent
bvi4092, Flickr
Glaser: Both Amsterdam and Ghent are historic and architecturally beautiful cities with similar challenges, like narrow streets and limited space, which complicate car use but provide proximity to services and amenities—both elements that are ideal for cycling.
Both cities also share characteristics like a young and vibrant student population, proximity to water bodies and green spaces, and industrial/port areas in redevelopment to meet the housing crisis.
However, while there are clearly a lot of really interesting similarities between Amsterdam and Ghent, as well as plenty of opportunities for knowledge exchange, there are cultural differences. The Dutch have a long history of cycling, and Belgians, particularly in Flanders, are proud of their own achievements in cycling. There’s a sense that they want to pave their own path, which I respect. Each city has its own identity and challenges, and knowledge exchange should focus on adapting successful strategies while respecting these differences.
POLIS: Exactly, it is about broadening perspectives! Before we wrap up, let us talk about funding and the future of cycling research. Why should cities and regions invest in cycling research, and what emerging trends should we be paying attention to?
Glaser: Cycling research should not be confined to a narrow technical box. The bicycle is a fascinating tool that can be used as a lens to explore various disciplines—governance, health, social equity, and more. Traditionally, cycling research has focused on infrastructure and behaviour, but we need to expand that scope.
One area with great potential is action research, which involves working directly with communities to identify interventions and build research capacity at the local level. This participatory approach helps us understand behaviour and policy change from the ground up, rather than imposing solutions from above.
Another important focus is on those who aren’t cycling or are underrepresented in current research. This includes women, people of colour, and individuals with disabilities. These groups are often overlooked (or unseen), yet understanding their needs is crucial to making cycling more inclusive and accessible.
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About the contributors:
Interviewee: Meredith Glaser, CEO, Urban Cycling Institute & Professor of Cycling and Bicycle Chair, Urban Cycling Institute & University of Ghent, Department of Geography. Glaser’s interdisciplinary research focuses on policy innovation, knowledge transfer, and capacity building for sustainable transport. With degrees in urban planning and public health from UC Berkeley and a PhD from the University of Amsterdam, she has published widely and regularly speaks at international conferences on urban design and mobility.
Interviewer: Alessia Giorgiutti, Communications & Membership Lead & Co-Coordinator Just Transition at POLIS. Giorgiutti coordinates POLIS' corporate communications and magazine and has been involved in several EU-funded projects as a Communications Manager. She currently supports other managers and officers on tasks related to content production and communication for their projects. Her work focuses on making accessible and inclusive content about transport, as well as highlighting the experiences of marginalised users.
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