Palaces for the people : how social infrastructure can help fight inequality, polarization, and the decline of civic life / Eric Klinenberg.
2018
HC79.C3 K55 2018 (Mapit)
Available at General Collection
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Details
Title
Palaces for the people : how social infrastructure can help fight inequality, polarization, and the decline of civic life / Eric Klinenberg.
Author
Klinenberg, Eric, author.
Edition
First edition.
ISBN
9781524761165 (hardcover)
1524761168 (hardcover)
9781524761189 (electronic book)
9781524761172
1524761176
9781984822413
1984822411
1524761168 (hardcover)
9781524761189 (electronic book)
9781524761172
1524761176
9781984822413
1984822411
Published
New York : Crown, [2018]
Language
English
Description
277 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
Call Number
HC79.C3 K55 2018
Dewey Decimal Classification
307.760973
Summary
"An eminent sociologist--and coauthor, with Aziz Ansari, of the #1 New York Times bestseller Modern Romance--makes the provocative case that the future of democratic societies rests not only on shared values but also on shared "social infrastructure": the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, coffee shops, pools, and parks that promote crucial, sometimes life-saving connections between people who might otherwise fail to find common cause"-- Provided by publisher.
"An eminent sociologist and bestselling author offers an inspiring blueprint for rebuilding our fractured society. We are living in a time of deep divisions. Americans are sorting themselves along racial, religious, and cultural lines, leading to a level of polarization that the country hasn't seen since the Civil War. Pundits and politicians are calling for us to come together, to find common purpose. But how, exactly, can this be done? In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg suggests a way forward. He believes that the future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, churches, synagogues, and parks where crucial, sometimes life-saving connections, are formed. These are places where people gather and linger, making friends across group lines and strengthening the entire community. Klinenberg calls this the 'social infrastructure': When it is strong, neighborhoods flourish; when it is neglected, as it has been in recent years, families and individuals must fend for themselves. Klinenberg takes us around the globe--from a floating school in Bangladesh to an arts incubator in Chicago, from a soccer pitch in Queens to an evangelical church in Houston--to show how social infrastructure is helping to solve some of our most pressing challenges: isolation, crime, education, addiction, political polarization, and even climate change. Richly reported, elegantly written, and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People urges us to acknowledge the crucial role these spaces play in civic life. Our social infrastructure could be the key to bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides--and safeguarding democracy."--Jacket.
Klinenberg makes the provocative case that the future of democratic societies rests not only on shared values but also on shared "social infrastructure." He shows how the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, coffee shops, pools, and parks can promote crucial, sometimes life-saving connections between people who might otherwise fail to find common cause. -- adapted from publisher info
"An eminent sociologist and bestselling author offers an inspiring blueprint for rebuilding our fractured society. We are living in a time of deep divisions. Americans are sorting themselves along racial, religious, and cultural lines, leading to a level of polarization that the country hasn't seen since the Civil War. Pundits and politicians are calling for us to come together, to find common purpose. But how, exactly, can this be done? In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg suggests a way forward. He believes that the future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, churches, synagogues, and parks where crucial, sometimes life-saving connections, are formed. These are places where people gather and linger, making friends across group lines and strengthening the entire community. Klinenberg calls this the 'social infrastructure': When it is strong, neighborhoods flourish; when it is neglected, as it has been in recent years, families and individuals must fend for themselves. Klinenberg takes us around the globe--from a floating school in Bangladesh to an arts incubator in Chicago, from a soccer pitch in Queens to an evangelical church in Houston--to show how social infrastructure is helping to solve some of our most pressing challenges: isolation, crime, education, addiction, political polarization, and even climate change. Richly reported, elegantly written, and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People urges us to acknowledge the crucial role these spaces play in civic life. Our social infrastructure could be the key to bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides--and safeguarding democracy."--Jacket.
Klinenberg makes the provocative case that the future of democratic societies rests not only on shared values but also on shared "social infrastructure." He shows how the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, coffee shops, pools, and parks can promote crucial, sometimes life-saving connections between people who might otherwise fail to find common cause. -- adapted from publisher info
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-266) and index.
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Table of Contents
Introduction: The social infrastructure
A place to gather
Safe spaces
Learning together
Healthy bonds
Common ground
Ahead of the storm
Conclusion: Before we lift the next shovel.
A place to gather
Safe spaces
Learning together
Healthy bonds
Common ground
Ahead of the storm
Conclusion: Before we lift the next shovel.