These are places where people gather and linger, making friends across group lines and strengthening the entire community.
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. In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg suggests a way forward.
Pundits and politicians are calling for us to come together, to find common purpose. 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. We are living in a time of deep divisions. There is also an interview with Eric Klinenberg on the 99% Invisible podcast that I would recommend in conjunction with the book. The interview delves into Klinenberg’s background and original interest in social infrastructure and details how Gilded Age titan Andrew Carnegie fits into the topic as a whole.An eminent sociologist and bestselling author offers an inspiring blueprint for rebuilding our fractured society. In addition to the book’s core subject, Klinenberg has some interesting perspectives on isolation, climate change, the effects of the internet, amongst other things, concerning our social, political, and cultural spheres. In the wake of COVID, the perspectives offered are even more interesting to consider in retrospect and while imagining the future. Palaces for the People was enriching and inspiring to read in 2018 – especially as a librarian. Klinenberg shares stories from around the globe – from as far away as Spain to as close to home as the streets of Chicago – where civil and urban engineering have shaped and been shaped by the communities for the betterment of neighborhood and city alike. The reporting shared evidence of how established or developing social infrastructures support or grow populations is truly fascinating and remarkable.
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