Cultural Value Conflicts in Adapting to Modern Green Public Transport Systems: An Intergenerational Study in Developing Cities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4521Keywords:
Green public transport, cultural value conflict, intergenerational study, faceAbstract
This study explores intergenerational cultural value conflicts in the adaptation to green public transport systems in Vietnamese cities, explaining the paradox between significant investment in green infrastructure and low ridership rates. Through in-depth interviews with 60 participants from three generations (X, Y, and Z) in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, and applying interpretative phenomenological analysis, the study finds that each generation constructs a distinct “cultural space”: Generation X perceives public transport as a “loss of control,” Generation Y engages in “cultural negotiation” between conflicting values, and Generation Z constructs a new “green face.” The results show that the metro system is accepted by all three generations, but for different reasons – luxury, modernity, sustainability – creating a rare point of convergence. The study proposes a “Tri-layered Cultural Space” model that challenges linear Western transition theories, asserting that the green transition in a transitional society is a process of “cultural accretion” rather than “replacement.” This calls for generationally-segmented policies and the design of “multi-faceted” systems that align with the cultural logic of each group.
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