Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life

by Eric Klinenberg

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Englewood, in Chicago, had a rough time during the recession. Already facing a high poverty rate and decades of municipal neglect, the neighborhood saw dozens of foreclosures, leaving streets pockmarked with boarded-up houses and vacant lots. Violence spiked. Older people feared leaving their homes. In 2009, though, something changed: a community group turned one of those vacant lots into a farm. Soon, people began to congregate there. They started a farmer's market and cooking classes, bringing an affordable source of produce to what had been a food desert. Today, even the local gang members respect it as a safe space. The Wood Street Urban farm only occupies a block or two, but it's a vital part of what sociologist Eric Klinenberg calls social infrastructure--the spaces and places that shape face-to-face interactions within a community. Public institutions, such as libraries, schools, playgrounds, parks, athletic fields, and swimming pools are vital parts of social infrastructure. So are churches and synagogues, flea markets, the corner diner. They're places where people can gather and linger, encouraging the formation of community ties and promoting interaction across group lines. In Palaces for the People, Klinenberg takes us around the globe--from Singapore to Brazil and from Englewood to Silicon Valley--to show how the physical spaces in which we interact hold the key to solving some of the most profound challenges of our time, from political polarization to climate change. Read Less

Englewood, in Chicago, had a rough time during the recession. Already facing a high poverty rate and decades of municipal neglect, the neighborhood saw dozens of foreclosures, leaving streets pockmarked with boarded-up houses and vacant lots. Violence spiked. Older people feared leaving their homes. In 2009, though, something changed: a community group turned one of those vacant lots into a farm. Soon, people began to congregate there. They started a farmer's market and cooking classes, bringing an affordable source of ... Read More