Gender and mobility in the car-dependent urban society of Muscat/Oman - Vol. 152 No. 2 - Research article

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

This article analyses women’s possibilities in Muscat/Oman to participate in society through mobility, accounting for the city’s highly diversified population. Using a mixed-methods approach with predominantly qualitative interviews, it includes both Omani and Indian family households. Urbanisation and modernisation over the last five decades have created a 80 km linear urban corridor, while strong road infrastructure and widespread car availability make mobility largely car-based. The study applies motility with access, competence, and appropriation to explain how social norms and cultural restrictions shape mobility.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages19

Reading Time48 min

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Abstract

Introduction

DIE ERDE Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin Vol. 152, No. 2 · Research article Gender and mobility in the cardependent urban society of Muscat/ Oman Maike Didero, Sonja Nebel, Carmella Pfaffenbach* Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, D-52062 Aachen, Germany, maike.didero@gmx.de, [sonebel@hotmail.com](sonebel@hotmail.com), [pfaffenbach@geo.rwth-aachen.de](pfaffenbach@geo.rwth-aachen.de) * corresponding author submitted: 17 September 2020 / Accepted for publication: 30 April 2021 / Published online: 12 July 2021 Abstract This article aims at analysing women’s possibilities in Muscat/Oman to participate in society by being mobile. Taking Muscat’s highly diversified population into account, we included both Omani and Indian family households in a mixedmethods approach using predominantly qualitative interviews. As a result of the urbanisation and modernisation process ofthe last five decades, the Capital Area of Muscat today forms a linear urban corridor that extends over roughly 80 km. The specific spatial context of a fast growing and widely dispersed urban space, as well as a well-developed road infrastructure combined with a high availability of individual cars are the reasons why individual mobility is predominantly car-based. For the analysis of Omani and Indian women’s mobility the concept of motility was chosen as theoretical framework. Considering the categories access, competence and appropriation, the concept offers a particular enlightening perspective for the case of Muscat, where the socioeconomic position as well as social norms and cultural restrictions play a decisive role in women’s mobility. Zusammenfassung Dieser Artikel hat zum Ziel, die Mobilitäts- und Partizipationsmöglichkeiten von Frauen in Muscat/Oman zu analysieren. Mit Blick auf die stark diversifizierte städtische Gesellschaft Muscats haben wir dazu sowohl omanische als auch indische Familienhaushalte in einem Mixed-Methods-Ansatz mit überwiegend qualitativen Interviews einbezogen. Als Ergebnis des Urbanisierungs-und Modernisierungsprozesses der letzten fünf Jahrzehnte bildet das Hauptstadtgebiet von Muscat heute einen linearen urbanen Korridor, der sich über etwa 80 km erstreckt. Der spezifische räumliche Kontext eines schnell wachsenden und eine große Fläche einnehmenden urbanen Raums sowie eine gut ausgebaute Straßeninfrastruktur in Kombination mit einer hohen Verfügbarkeit von PKWs in den Haushalten bilden den Hintergrund für eine überwiegend autobasierte individuelle Mobilität. Für die Analyse der Mobilität von omanischen und indischen Frauen wurde das Konzept der Motilität als theoretischer Rahmen gewählt. Unter Berücksichtigung der Kategorien access, competence und appropriation (Zugang, Kompetenz und Aneignung) bietet das Konzept eine besonders aufschlussreiche Perspektive auf den spezifischen räumlichen und sozialen Kontext von Muscat, wo die sozioökonomische Position sowie soziale Normen und kulturelle Restriktionen eine entscheidende Rolle für die Mobilität von Frauen spielen. Keywords gender, mobility, motility, women, Muscat, Oman Maike Didero, Sonja Nebel, Carmella Pfaffenbach 2021: Gender and mobility in the car-dependent urban society of Muscat/ Oman.– DIE ERDE 152 (2): 126-144 DOI:10 . 12854/erde-2021-533 126 DIE ERDE · Vol. 152 · 2/2021 Gender and mobility in the car-dependent urban society of Muscat/Oman 1. Introduction When Sultan Qaboos ibn Sa’id Al Sa’id ascended to power in 1970, he initiated a modernisation process that also included integrating women into the process. Women in the Sultanate of Oman enjoyed rights and options to participate much earlier than in other Gulf States, e.g. with regard to education and work. When unveiling Oman’s Basic Law in 1996, Sultan Qaboos mentioned in an interview that he is especially proud of the progress women had made between the 1970sand 1990s: “I congratulate myself for some things, such as the progress women h

FAQs

What is the main research focus of the article?

The article focuses on analysing women’s possibilities in Muscat/Oman to participate in society by being mobile, with attention to how mobility is shaped by car-dependence and social context.

Which research method and participants are used?

The study uses a mixed-methods approach with predominantly qualitative interviews, including both Omani and Indian family households.

Why is individual mobility in Muscat mostly car-based?

The authors link this to the city’s fast-growing, widely dispersed urban structure, a well-developed road infrastructure, and high availability of individual cars.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy