Navigating Urban Areas in the Digital Age - The role of navigation apps on the experience of international students in Nijmegen
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2025-06-20
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en
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As digital navigation apps become integral to daily life, their role in shaping urban experiences is often overlooked. This thesis explores how algorithmic filtering in navigation apps influences the spatial behavior of international students in Nijmegen, a group highly reliant on such tools during their integration into a new city. Through qualitative interviews, live app-use observations, and a comparison of location-based search results, the study reveals that while navigation apps offer convenience and comfort, they also steer users toward predictable routes and popular, commercial locations often at the expense of spontaneous discovery and cultural exploration.
The research finds that apps subtly shape mental maps and limit engagement with lesser-known areas, potentially reducing opportunities for intercultural exchange. Some students blindly follow app recommendations, while others actively resist digital guidance to reclaim their sense of exploration. The study concludes that navigation apps act not just as tools, but as powerful mediators of urban life. To align digital mobility with the values of the Erasmus experience, this thesis calls for greater awareness of algorithmic influence and the development of app features that promote spatial diversity, curiosity, and deeper cultural connection.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen