From Motor City to Bike City - Cycling Social Innovation on Detroit's Roads

Abstract

This thesis investigates the grassroots movements within the bicycling scene of Detroit. Of special interest were not only the motivations, catalysts, methods, measures, and enablers, but also barriers to bottom-up social innovation, or in short, the how and why of their emergence. Under the consideration of the findings of this thesis, the wide-ranging potential of social innovation could be part of a resurgence of the city that includes all kinds of citizens, and not only those young, mostly white professionals who recently moved to greater downtown Detroit and who were most likely not even affected by the city's decline. This thesis, therefore, suggests further research based on the presented findings. Additionally, actions by the city's policymakers are recommended, in order to improve the external environment of such innovation.