A long conversation: On meetings, travels and conversations with John Urry

This essay describes how the mobilities research and turn from the hands and mind of John Urry has influenced the emerging research area of mobilities design. The story is autobiographic and I touch down on some critical moments in my interaction with John Urry to see how these formed my trajectory into mobilities research. From 2000 and until John Urry’s premature death in 2016 we had multiple conversations in often rather odd places – from universities to train stations, from airport lounges to my patio. The common denominators to these conversations were a mutual interest in mobilities, and always with me as a learning novice. At the end I shortly discuss the field of mobilities design as an emerging research field under the strong influence of John’s work. The essay uses the personal narrative and our many conversations to show how my academic work was influenced by John’s ideas and thoughts – and as such carries the imprint of a ‘long conversation’.