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Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life
"A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us forward."--Jon Stewart
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR - "Engaging."--Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
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 and 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, churches, and parks where crucial connections are formed. Interweaving his own research with examples from around the globe, Klinenberg shows how "social infrastructure" is helping to solve some of our most pressing societal challenges. Richly reported and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides.
LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION
"Just brilliant!"--Roman Mars, 99% Invisible
"The aim of this sweeping work is to popularize the notion of 'social infrastructure'--the 'physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact'. . . . Here, drawing on research in urban planning, behavioral economics, and environmental psychology, as well as on his own fieldwork from around the world, [Eric Klinenberg] posits that a community's resilience correlates strongly with the robustness of its social infrastructure. The numerous case studies add up to a plea for more investment in the spaces and institutions (parks, libraries, childcare centers) that foster mutual support in civic life."--The New Yorker
"Palaces for the People--the title is taken from the Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie's description of the hundreds of libraries he funded--is essentially a calm, lucid exposition of a centuries-old idea, which is really a furious call to action."-- New Statesman
"Clear-eyed . . . fascinating." --Psychology Today
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR - "Engaging."--Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)
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 and 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, churches, and parks where crucial connections are formed. Interweaving his own research with examples from around the globe, Klinenberg shows how "social infrastructure" is helping to solve some of our most pressing societal challenges. Richly reported and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides.
LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION
"Just brilliant!"--Roman Mars, 99% Invisible
"The aim of this sweeping work is to popularize the notion of 'social infrastructure'--the 'physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact'. . . . Here, drawing on research in urban planning, behavioral economics, and environmental psychology, as well as on his own fieldwork from around the world, [Eric Klinenberg] posits that a community's resilience correlates strongly with the robustness of its social infrastructure. The numerous case studies add up to a plea for more investment in the spaces and institutions (parks, libraries, childcare centers) that foster mutual support in civic life."--The New Yorker
"Palaces for the People--the title is taken from the Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie's description of the hundreds of libraries he funded--is essentially a calm, lucid exposition of a centuries-old idea, which is really a furious call to action."-- New Statesman
"Clear-eyed . . . fascinating." --Psychology Today
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2018
707 people are currently reading
15044 people want to read
About the author
Eric Klinenberg
17 books257 followersEric M. Klinenberg is an American sociologist and a scholar of urban studies, culture, and media. He is currently Helen Gould Shepard Professor in Social Science and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. Klinenberg is best known for his contributions as a public sociologist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 779 reviews
January 25, 2019
I didn't think that I could dislike a book as much as I dislike THIS book, but yes, I really disliked this book. Wonderful ideas and some really interesting points but I do not trust ANY book which talks about race and sociology without talking about white privilege and white supremacy. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems this man wrote an entire book about community while NOT ONCE naming white supremacy.
This book tries to play the rule of "both sides" and let's all come together and sing kumbaya while never naming that it is consistently the political right who votes against social services which actually help ALL people. That to me is intellectually dishonest. It's great to focus on how people of color consistently fix our own communities through personal efforts but to never talk about why the oppression exists from the get go seems again intellectually dishonest. You can't talk about "rough neighborhoods" without talking about white flight and how when whiteness leaves, there goes the money with it. If you're going to talk about zoning but you don't want to talk about racism and white supremacy and the part they play in it, miss me with all of that.
Apparently NOBODY segregated the pools which lead to an epidemic of brown children not knowing how to swim. I had no idea that my parents putting us all in swimming lessons growing up made us the exception as black people and not the rule (because we were privileged). But it was important to my parents because we grew up in a town that had many lakes and they grew up knowing that black kids often drown because those resources aren't available to us. But who did this? Who held the power and who made these rules?
Don't ask me to hold hands and come together and sing kumbaya if you're going to be intellectually dishonest about whiteness and white supremacy, Eric Klinenberg.
This book tries to play the rule of "both sides" and let's all come together and sing kumbaya while never naming that it is consistently the political right who votes against social services which actually help ALL people. That to me is intellectually dishonest. It's great to focus on how people of color consistently fix our own communities through personal efforts but to never talk about why the oppression exists from the get go seems again intellectually dishonest. You can't talk about "rough neighborhoods" without talking about white flight and how when whiteness leaves, there goes the money with it. If you're going to talk about zoning but you don't want to talk about racism and white supremacy and the part they play in it, miss me with all of that.
Apparently NOBODY segregated the pools which lead to an epidemic of brown children not knowing how to swim. I had no idea that my parents putting us all in swimming lessons growing up made us the exception as black people and not the rule (because we were privileged). But it was important to my parents because we grew up in a town that had many lakes and they grew up knowing that black kids often drown because those resources aren't available to us. But who did this? Who held the power and who made these rules?
Don't ask me to hold hands and come together and sing kumbaya if you're going to be intellectually dishonest about whiteness and white supremacy, Eric Klinenberg.
November 27, 2018
3.5. Overall, the ideas Klinenberg poses and the research he references are interesting and gets one thinking of what we need to do to create a better future society. Social infrastructure is a philosophy I can get behind and the stories he shares from fieldwork (especially more personal vignettes) were insightful. But I will say I wish this was structured differently. After listening to the first chapter, which is exclusively about libraries, I expected (and wanted) the rest of the chapters to focus on a singular infrastructure (parks, community gardens, schools, etc.). Instead, it was more jumbled and mixed. I understand that these stories can be intertwined in different infrastructures, but didn't like how we'd be talking about gardens and then we'd be back to libraries. Maybe it's because some chapters would be slimmer than others, but it seemed to me less focused and in need of a bit more editing/organization. I think the first chapter is the most worth-it part of this book.
September 19, 2018
I enjoyed his tribute to libraries; was skeptical of his pro-corporate solutions such as Gates' donations to create smaller schools. Liberal, not radical, and therefore insufficient targeting of capitalism's fundamental flaws.
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March 12, 2019No rating cause I was skimming a bunch toward the end. I wanted to like this, and it's got such important research in it, but I raised an eyebrow at the beginning when it said something like "this isn't about Trump vs Clinton, or Black Lives Matter vs Blue Lives Matter, but rather..." and I'm like a) it kind of is about those things though? and b) are you really going to treat them as equal? I don't even hate the Trump vs Clinton thing because, fine, it's fair to say we're talking about politics outside specific elections, but the BLM comment pushed it to "we're not talking about politics, period."
And that left me on high alert for the handful of "this happens on both sides" and "polarization" comments throughout the book. There aren't even that many, but enough to chip away at my confidence in the sociological rigor of his conclusions. Like there's a great discussion of online spaces for marginalized folks to find each other, followed by simple praise for Nextdoor bringing neighbors together with zero mention of that platform's well known racism. Or a chapter about the market of ideas on a college campus, with a mention of "both sides" lamenting "inhospitality to debate" as if radical conservatives aren't showing up on campuses and using "debate" to create a truly dangerous atmosphere for queer, trans, and immigrant students.
The point of this book - that physical environments matter to social cohesion, and we must invest wisely in them - is so important. I just couldn't get past wondering how much stronger the argument could be had it been written without that sense of moderation. If it had been written by someone who knows firsthand the importance of queer spaces or Black spaces or spaces for folks with disabilities that are intentionally unshared, and how much work it takes to build those spaces in this culture. If it had admitted that this is an inherently political subject because massive disparities in power created the problems it's addressing.
And that left me on high alert for the handful of "this happens on both sides" and "polarization" comments throughout the book. There aren't even that many, but enough to chip away at my confidence in the sociological rigor of his conclusions. Like there's a great discussion of online spaces for marginalized folks to find each other, followed by simple praise for Nextdoor bringing neighbors together with zero mention of that platform's well known racism. Or a chapter about the market of ideas on a college campus, with a mention of "both sides" lamenting "inhospitality to debate" as if radical conservatives aren't showing up on campuses and using "debate" to create a truly dangerous atmosphere for queer, trans, and immigrant students.
The point of this book - that physical environments matter to social cohesion, and we must invest wisely in them - is so important. I just couldn't get past wondering how much stronger the argument could be had it been written without that sense of moderation. If it had been written by someone who knows firsthand the importance of queer spaces or Black spaces or spaces for folks with disabilities that are intentionally unshared, and how much work it takes to build those spaces in this culture. If it had admitted that this is an inherently political subject because massive disparities in power created the problems it's addressing.
September 29, 2022
Eric Klineberg is a Professor of Sociology at NYU and an author of several books. Palaces for People is how Andrew Carnegie described free public libraries when he generously donated funds to build over 2800 libraries across the nation.
Klineberg's interest in social infrastructure occurred when he researched (boots on the ground as well as literary research) why certain adjacent communities within Chicago fared poorly or fared well during the heat wave in 1995 that killed over 700 residents in Chicago. The majority of neighborhoods with heat wave mortality were African American with poverty and violent crime. However, there were several African American neighborhoods with similar poverty and crime that had the lowest heat wave death rates.
The key differentiator between similar neighborhoods was the social infrastructure---physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact---convening and relationship building spaces. Libraries are at the core of social infrastructure.
Klineberg shares examples of different physical drop off and pick up spaces at schools and childcare. Some spaces encourage natural conversations and relationship building with parents as they greet their children and other spaces focus on speed and efficiency.
He provides an example of how Englewood, a Chicago neighborhood that was a food desert, created farms to grow local produce with the help of an organization called Growing Home.
Social infrastructure is definitely a factor in building bridges in communities and strengthening civic life and relationships. Other critical factors include equitable job opportunities, economic development/growth, transparent and truthful news reporting, building trust, etc.
Klineberg's interest in social infrastructure occurred when he researched (boots on the ground as well as literary research) why certain adjacent communities within Chicago fared poorly or fared well during the heat wave in 1995 that killed over 700 residents in Chicago. The majority of neighborhoods with heat wave mortality were African American with poverty and violent crime. However, there were several African American neighborhoods with similar poverty and crime that had the lowest heat wave death rates.
The key differentiator between similar neighborhoods was the social infrastructure---physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact---convening and relationship building spaces. Libraries are at the core of social infrastructure.
Klineberg shares examples of different physical drop off and pick up spaces at schools and childcare. Some spaces encourage natural conversations and relationship building with parents as they greet their children and other spaces focus on speed and efficiency.
He provides an example of how Englewood, a Chicago neighborhood that was a food desert, created farms to grow local produce with the help of an organization called Growing Home.
Social infrastructure is definitely a factor in building bridges in communities and strengthening civic life and relationships. Other critical factors include equitable job opportunities, economic development/growth, transparent and truthful news reporting, building trust, etc.
January 31, 2019
Look, if you're on Goodreads, you probably already know that public libraries are important institutions. But this book provides some good reminders of why that is.
January 19, 2019
An engaging, readable argument for why we should build more “social infrastructure” like libraries, community gardens, parks, sports facilities, etc – but with a curiously meandering structure that flits between ideas and subjects.
Random thoughts:
- Klinenberg is a good writer but he is overly fond of personal anecdotes and stories. These are helpful for introducing laypeople but they detracted from the strength of his argument.
- Too often, we hear about how he was visiting this or that other city while writing another book, making you wonder just how rigorous his research was.
- Even more odd are the couple of times he uses the plot from *novels* to make a point. It’s just bizarre – how am I supposed to be convinced by that?
- I don’t know why Klinenberg bothers with a pretence of political neutrality. Yes, he wants to appeal to readers of every political persuasion, but come on – it’s pretty obvious who he votes for, and who most readers would vote for. He does a disservice to his subject and his readers by pretending that both Democrats and Republicans care equally about funding social infrastructure.
- His most egregious and pointless bit of ”both sides-ism” is equating the chair of the California Democratic Party (no, I don’t know who this is, either) saying “fuck Donald Trump” and giving him the middle finger, to Trump leading supporters in a chant of “lock her up.” One of these things is rude, I guess; the other demonstrates a total disregard for democratic principles and a disturbing shift to authoritarianism.
- He has a strange obsession with Silicon Valley. I’m not sure it deserves as much attention as it gets in the book.
Ultimately, the most memorable parts of the book are about libraries. I would love to read 300 pages about the importance of libraries towards social infrastructure, not just 50-60 pages scattered here and there.
Random thoughts:
- Klinenberg is a good writer but he is overly fond of personal anecdotes and stories. These are helpful for introducing laypeople but they detracted from the strength of his argument.
- Too often, we hear about how he was visiting this or that other city while writing another book, making you wonder just how rigorous his research was.
- Even more odd are the couple of times he uses the plot from *novels* to make a point. It’s just bizarre – how am I supposed to be convinced by that?
- I don’t know why Klinenberg bothers with a pretence of political neutrality. Yes, he wants to appeal to readers of every political persuasion, but come on – it’s pretty obvious who he votes for, and who most readers would vote for. He does a disservice to his subject and his readers by pretending that both Democrats and Republicans care equally about funding social infrastructure.
- His most egregious and pointless bit of ”both sides-ism” is equating the chair of the California Democratic Party (no, I don’t know who this is, either) saying “fuck Donald Trump” and giving him the middle finger, to Trump leading supporters in a chant of “lock her up.” One of these things is rude, I guess; the other demonstrates a total disregard for democratic principles and a disturbing shift to authoritarianism.
- He has a strange obsession with Silicon Valley. I’m not sure it deserves as much attention as it gets in the book.
Ultimately, the most memorable parts of the book are about libraries. I would love to read 300 pages about the importance of libraries towards social infrastructure, not just 50-60 pages scattered here and there.
January 5, 2019
I couldn't think of a better book to read in January. I really feel inspired to become more involved in my community. This book is about the importance of social infastructure and how it can significantly improve the lives of those in communities and bring down crime rates. I loved the chapters about libraries. I wish Parks and Rec was still on because I can't even imagine how much Leslie Knope would've loved this. If I had one criticism of the book, it was that I wish it the chapters stuck more closely to topics. The library chapters seemed to focus on libraries, but then it seemed to go all over the place from there. Recommend if you're curious about the effect of social infustructure or need a reason to feel inspired to go out and connect to those in your community.
March 9, 2021
دیوید بلینگتون استاد سرآمدِ مهندسی در دانشگاه پرینستون زمانی نوشت، زیرساخت ها شیوه ای برای نمادین کردن دوره های تاریخی و بیان ایده های مسلط در مورد چگونگی سازمان دادن به اقتصاد و جامعه هستند. راه آهن، بزرگراه ها، پارک ها و شبکه های برق معلوم می کنند که در زمان ساخت آنها ما که بودیم و امید داشتیم چه بشویم. سامانه هایی که در سالهای پیشِ رو می سازیم به نسل های آینده خواهند گفت ما که هستیم و نگاه ما به دنیای امروز چیست. اگر از رفع اختلافات اجتماعی در حال تعمیق بازمانیم، آنها حتا ممکن است تعیین کنند که "ما" چگونه می خواهیم به زیستن ادامه دهیم... بازسازی زیرساخت هایی که به حل مسایل حل ناشدنی پیش روی ما کمک کنند مستلزم به کارگیری تمامی انواع هوشمندیِ جمعی درباره ی آسیب ها و امکانات در حال ظهور در شهرها و نواحی گوناگون است. ما نیازمند مهندسی عمران هوشمند برای تعمیر شبکه های حیاتی ای هستیم که وضع شان خوب نیست اما نیازمند مهندسی مدنیت در آن دسته از جوامع از جمله جامعه ی خودمان هم هستیم که در آستانه ی از هم پاشیدن قرار دارند. این تلاشِ سترگی است و با توجه به ستیزه ها و شکاف های حال حاضر، فرآیندی زمان بَر است. اما دیگر نمی توان بیش از این سراغ آن نرفت. پرسش این است که کِی و کجا کار را آغاز کنیم
1399/12/20
سپاس بسیارم از سعید کشاورزی برای سپردن کتاب
1399/12/20
سپاس بسیارم از سعید کشاورزی برای سپردن کتاب
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June 10, 2021In a time where America seems to be dividing itself along so many different lines, Eric Klinenberg’s “Palaces for the People” examines how we can heal these fractures by nurturing more shared spaces. An uplifting look at the power of community — I encourage everyone to read it.
January 8, 2024
A cracking start, a middling middle, but then a sudden focused, declarative end.
It aspires for more, but the book is really just a love letter to public libraries. And that’s pretty good.
It aspires for more, but the book is really just a love letter to public libraries. And that’s pretty good.
February 20, 2021
As an avid supporter of public infrastructure and spaces, I was really excited to pick this book up. But I felt that this was catered very much to the more moderate folks. It really glossed over just how much structural racism and white supremacy continue to uphold the very disparities that were highlighted in the book. I also was disappointed with the organization. It felt like it was hopping all over the place and I thought it would be more structured like how the first chapter was primarily about libraries.
I think this is a good book for probably someone extremely new to the intersection of planning and society but otherwise falls flat for folks like myself looking for more grit and boldness in approach when addressing inequities.
I think this is a good book for probably someone extremely new to the intersection of planning and society but otherwise falls flat for folks like myself looking for more grit and boldness in approach when addressing inequities.
October 7, 2018
Gives perspective and case studies regarding social infrastructure. Especially relevant to public libraries and other civic institutions looking for ways to be more welcoming and responsive to their community. Very timely and useful.
I took a star off because I found the text somewhat rambling and roundabout. I thought it would be much more useful to divide chapters by type of institution, so those reading for institutional purposes could easily find what they're looking for. I did see an indication that the finished copy will have an index, so that should help.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration.
I took a star off because I found the text somewhat rambling and roundabout. I thought it would be much more useful to divide chapters by type of institution, so those reading for institutional purposes could easily find what they're looking for. I did see an indication that the finished copy will have an index, so that should help.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration.
January 30, 2019
Such an interesting book that touches on my favourite aspect of social infrastructure: libraries. This book is so timely given the current political climate...do we want higher walls or more social cohesion?
February 26, 2024
Okay! There's a lot going on in this book *and* a lot it's missing. Let's get into it:
Klinenberg is arguing that social infrastructure consists of places in the community where people can gather and build relationships. Places like: libraries, churches, schools, public parks, public pools, community gardens. And that those places are both currently under-valued and under attack in terms of funding and general support. I am with him on this.
I agree with a number of other reviewers who've stated that the strongest chapter by far is the first one, focused on the role of libraries in communities. Am I biased? Absolutely. I am Team Public Library all day long. But I do also think most of the other chapters come off weakly by comparison.
The exception, for me, would be the chapter on the role of churches in communities. (I am Team No Thanks on organized religion, but I am also a fan of inclusive churches that do community support.) The chapter examines the role of churches in providing community support specifically after natural disasters. It does this by examining the experiences of one family in Houston after Hurricane Harvey: how they and a lot of their neighbors were supported by their church both in terms of emergency aid and longer term recovery.
I also learned in this chapter that there are more religious organizations in the United States than there are fast food restaurants, which was frankly surprising but happily verifiable, due to the extensive and well-written notes section in the back.
But there are a lot of other chapters in the book.
Let's talk for a moment about the chapter on schools. That chapter, written in 2018, opens with:
While this is set up to potentially be a cautionary tale about unfriendly architecture in schools, Klinenberg doesn't address the fact that most schools are like this now. Instead the chapter focuses on fraternities and sororities (interesting and useful info) and the rise of online schooling (neither).
At no point in the chapter does the author address that not many students have the option to attend online schools and vitally, the author entirely fails to address that most if not all of the changes to school architecture he bemoans have come about -- and been extended in more hostile areas -- due to the rise of school shootings.
In fact, the book as a whole touches on gun violence in, I believe, two pages.
That is... not enough.
If we are going to talk about schools and what makes them safe and inclusive, we have to talk about how the threat of school shootings and the incidence of them is harming students. We have to talk about how those shootings are directly causing changes to school architecture, including not just gates but locked doors, bulletproof doors, choosing furniture based on its shielding ability, surveillance cameras, and redesigning schools so that there are less small spaces for people to congregate / hide.
Anything? In 2018? No?
Klinenberg also writes at one point about how schools need to have small intimate spaces where a few people can gather unobserved and a) see above, and b) this man has not gone to junior high lately. Those spaces would absolutely be used for bullying.
So there's that.
Klinenburg also talks about "blight" a lot as a factor that influences both social and physical infrastructure. He's correct about that. But here's the thing: in the United States, "blight" is not just a sociological term, it's a legal one. It was defined in planning law back in the 1950s, and part of that definition included the presence of African Americans in a neighborhood[1]. That's part of the formula urban planners used to determine whether an area suffered from blight or not. And if you use that term in 2018 without referencing its racist origins, I have difficulty taking your theories on the subject seriously.
To his credit, Klinenberg does tackle race in various lenses, even while making statements such as:
(Fucking what, my dude? What?)
And: "The United States remains an open society that, as always, incorporates new people and reinvents itself."
The word incorporates is doing a lot of heavy lifting there, while the phrase as always backs slowly into a hedge, Homer Simpson-style.
There's also a section in the library chapter where the author talks about how while yes, sometimes people do anti-social things in libraries like drugs, public defecation and violence but "what's remarkable is how rarely these disruptions happen, how civilly they are managed, and how quickly the library regains its rhythm afterward."
In fact, "[Libraries] establish and informally enforce their own norms and codes of conduct, trusting patrons to honor them and getting compliance 99 percent of the time."
I am verrrrrrrrry curious to hear the experiences of anyone reading this review who works or has recently worked in an American library, as to how often such "disruptions" occur and civilly they are managed. Enlighten me.
One of the best parts of this book, though, is Klinenberg's examination of social media, where he takes up the question of how it does and can unite or divide us. He cites some very interesting studies, and points out a lot of the frankly unethical behavior on the part of Facebook as a company. Social media as social infrastructure is fascinating to me, because we've all seen how Twitter had the capacity to unite large groups of people in coordinating political action, and how because of that, it's being dismantled by an right-wing apartheid-loving manchild.
So social media does have that power to unite at the same time as Klinenberg rightly points out, it has the power to divide us, mainly by algorithms that connect us with people who hold very similar views to our own.
And that it's hard to replicate the role of physical places (again: libraries, churches, schools, parks, pools, gardens) that bring us into contact with our neighbors and others in our community who we might not already know.
(Do I wish the book had included buses and trains? Um, ALWAYS, but that's a topic for a different review.)
Anyway, overall, I'm glad I got this book out from the public library because it did encourage me to look at shared physical spaces in our community in a different manner. Right now, in my small town, we're using a communal neighborhood email service to politely argue about the school budget (which includes a lot of money for repairing physical structures), building a new greenspace in the center of town, and even the outreach efforts of a church in a neighboring town*, and this book gave me a better perspective with which to participate.
*The church has started doing free community dinners (great! we have hella food insecurity in this area!) without disclosing that they're Pray The Gay Away (terrible! Absolutely not!). We have a lot to talk about.
[1]The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
Klinenberg is arguing that social infrastructure consists of places in the community where people can gather and build relationships. Places like: libraries, churches, schools, public parks, public pools, community gardens. And that those places are both currently under-valued and under attack in terms of funding and general support. I am with him on this.
I agree with a number of other reviewers who've stated that the strongest chapter by far is the first one, focused on the role of libraries in communities. Am I biased? Absolutely. I am Team Public Library all day long. But I do also think most of the other chapters come off weakly by comparison.
The exception, for me, would be the chapter on the role of churches in communities. (I am Team No Thanks on organized religion, but I am also a fan of inclusive churches that do community support.) The chapter examines the role of churches in providing community support specifically after natural disasters. It does this by examining the experiences of one family in Houston after Hurricane Harvey: how they and a lot of their neighbors were supported by their church both in terms of emergency aid and longer term recovery.
I also learned in this chapter that there are more religious organizations in the United States than there are fast food restaurants, which was frankly surprising but happily verifiable, due to the extensive and well-written notes section in the back.
But there are a lot of other chapters in the book.
Let's talk for a moment about the chapter on schools. That chapter, written in 2018, opens with:
In the 1980s, when American political leaders had grown anxious about a new "urban underclass" and local governments throughout the country deployed armed security guards to monitor high school campuses, public schools -- particularly those in poor areas -- had ceased to be ideal places for anything. With metal detectors at the gates and pass cards restricting the circulation of students, educational institutions had come to resemble prisons.
While this is set up to potentially be a cautionary tale about unfriendly architecture in schools, Klinenberg doesn't address the fact that most schools are like this now. Instead the chapter focuses on fraternities and sororities (interesting and useful info) and the rise of online schooling (neither).
At no point in the chapter does the author address that not many students have the option to attend online schools and vitally, the author entirely fails to address that most if not all of the changes to school architecture he bemoans have come about -- and been extended in more hostile areas -- due to the rise of school shootings.
In fact, the book as a whole touches on gun violence in, I believe, two pages.
That is... not enough.
If we are going to talk about schools and what makes them safe and inclusive, we have to talk about how the threat of school shootings and the incidence of them is harming students. We have to talk about how those shootings are directly causing changes to school architecture, including not just gates but locked doors, bulletproof doors, choosing furniture based on its shielding ability, surveillance cameras, and redesigning schools so that there are less small spaces for people to congregate / hide.
Anything? In 2018? No?
Klinenberg also writes at one point about how schools need to have small intimate spaces where a few people can gather unobserved and a) see above, and b) this man has not gone to junior high lately. Those spaces would absolutely be used for bullying.
So there's that.
Klinenburg also talks about "blight" a lot as a factor that influences both social and physical infrastructure. He's correct about that. But here's the thing: in the United States, "blight" is not just a sociological term, it's a legal one. It was defined in planning law back in the 1950s, and part of that definition included the presence of African Americans in a neighborhood[1]. That's part of the formula urban planners used to determine whether an area suffered from blight or not. And if you use that term in 2018 without referencing its racist origins, I have difficulty taking your theories on the subject seriously.
To his credit, Klinenberg does tackle race in various lenses, even while making statements such as:
"In cities across the country, you can hear languages, eat food, and find or partake in cultural activities that weren't much a part of America a few generations ago."
(Fucking what, my dude? What?)
And: "The United States remains an open society that, as always, incorporates new people and reinvents itself."
The word incorporates is doing a lot of heavy lifting there, while the phrase as always backs slowly into a hedge, Homer Simpson-style.
There's also a section in the library chapter where the author talks about how while yes, sometimes people do anti-social things in libraries like drugs, public defecation and violence but "what's remarkable is how rarely these disruptions happen, how civilly they are managed, and how quickly the library regains its rhythm afterward."
In fact, "[Libraries] establish and informally enforce their own norms and codes of conduct, trusting patrons to honor them and getting compliance 99 percent of the time."
I am verrrrrrrrry curious to hear the experiences of anyone reading this review who works or has recently worked in an American library, as to how often such "disruptions" occur and civilly they are managed. Enlighten me.
One of the best parts of this book, though, is Klinenberg's examination of social media, where he takes up the question of how it does and can unite or divide us. He cites some very interesting studies, and points out a lot of the frankly unethical behavior on the part of Facebook as a company. Social media as social infrastructure is fascinating to me, because we've all seen how Twitter had the capacity to unite large groups of people in coordinating political action, and how because of that, it's being dismantled by an right-wing apartheid-loving manchild.
So social media does have that power to unite at the same time as Klinenberg rightly points out, it has the power to divide us, mainly by algorithms that connect us with people who hold very similar views to our own.
And that it's hard to replicate the role of physical places (again: libraries, churches, schools, parks, pools, gardens) that bring us into contact with our neighbors and others in our community who we might not already know.
(Do I wish the book had included buses and trains? Um, ALWAYS, but that's a topic for a different review.)
Anyway, overall, I'm glad I got this book out from the public library because it did encourage me to look at shared physical spaces in our community in a different manner. Right now, in my small town, we're using a communal neighborhood email service to politely argue about the school budget (which includes a lot of money for repairing physical structures), building a new greenspace in the center of town, and even the outreach efforts of a church in a neighboring town*, and this book gave me a better perspective with which to participate.
*The church has started doing free community dinners (great! we have hella food insecurity in this area!) without disclosing that they're Pray The Gay Away (terrible! Absolutely not!). We have a lot to talk about.
[1]The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
March 13, 2025
3.5, libraries 😃
January 20, 2023
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised that a book titled “Palaces for the People” is a love letter to libraries. That is probably the most noticeable element tying this book together. I appreciate the research referenced and field experience of people engaged with the social institutions the author discusses, but he certainly does seem to come back to the library most chapters. The book is helpful in making one think about what makes effective communities in a time when that is less prevalent but possibly more needed than ever. And in making an argument for government spending to create not just civil infrastructure and not just social nets, but social infrastructure. The time the book was published certainly breaks through, as a few topics breezed on at the end are tangential (Trump, Facebook) and surface level. Whereas possibly more relevant could have been potential references and exploration into why BIPOC communities are primarily affected by lack of infrastructure, social or otherwise, impacting low income and ignored neighborhoods. In all, I did enjoy the read, and think this is a good book to casually pick up for encouraging civic engagement, considering what the government can provide to its residents if given the chance, and reminding us that fostering a diverse community is beneficial to all.
January 16, 2019
"Libraries stand for and exemplify something that needs defending: the public institutions that -- even in an age of atomization and inequality -- serve as bedrocks of civil society. Libraries are the kinds of places where ordinary people with different backgrounds, passions, and interests can take part in a living democratic culture. They are the kinds of places where the public, private, and philanthropic sectors can work together to reach for something higher than the bottom line."
This book is about more than libraries but (unsurprisingly) I found the sections on libraries to be the most interesting and inspiring.
This book is about more than libraries but (unsurprisingly) I found the sections on libraries to be the most interesting and inspiring.
January 8, 2019
Sociologist Eric Klinenberg makes a persuasive argument for the strengthening of America's "social infrastructure" - the places where people gather to share experiences across social divides and strengthen the bonds that help us in divisive times. It is a timely examination of what qualifies as "community" in the age of social media and a useful tool that public officials should use for cultural and social planning. Recommended.
February 21, 2019
I put this as read but this was a DNF for me after 30% through the book. Had to read it for a report so I skimmed the later chapters and read the conclusion but it was such a disappointment. I didn't feel like there was any sort of critical analysis in the book. It talked about the concept of social infrastructure which is fine and all but failed to talk about other systemic factors like antiblack racism, sexism, and capitalism that affects social structures.
May 14, 2019
3.5. A lot of great theories and causal links but not a lot of concrete takeaways. Also, a little long in the tooth and repetitive as the end drew near.
January 2, 2024
Interesting and informative especially about public health implications of loneliness and how physical infrastructure can help or hurt
July 28, 2024
I wanna be loved the way this man loves libraries
June 9, 2020
Like many readers, I'm obsessed with libraries. They are one of my favorite to work and study and at this point in my life, having had to move several times, I'd much rather just get books at the library rather than own them. This book shows how libraries and other public spaces can be important for things beyond their described purpose. Good social infrastructure can be crucial for reducing crime and bring together people who normally wouldn't interact. I have person experience with this. I go to college at the University of Minnesota. The campus comes right up to the edge of downtown Minneapolis, a city that's been in the news a lot recently for obvious and important reasons. One of my favorite places to go was Minneapolis Central library. This library is in the heart of the city and draws in every type of person who lives in the city. Even though my campus is very close to downtown, it's still very separate. It is the public library that gives me my best connection to the people that live in the city around me.
I have long supported investment in public infrastructure. Public transport is important, libraries are important, parks are important, and so on and so on. It's one of the issues I have with recent tech companies like Uber. Uber can sometimes be seen as a solution to the problem of public transportation infrastructure when really it, as discussed in the book, separates people further as people who have money to take Ubers remove themselves from public transportation.
I think this book is great for people like me who love the type of social infrastructure discussed in this book and would like more tools for discussing the reasons why this sort of infrastructure is so important. I would definitely recommend this book.
I have long supported investment in public infrastructure. Public transport is important, libraries are important, parks are important, and so on and so on. It's one of the issues I have with recent tech companies like Uber. Uber can sometimes be seen as a solution to the problem of public transportation infrastructure when really it, as discussed in the book, separates people further as people who have money to take Ubers remove themselves from public transportation.
I think this book is great for people like me who love the type of social infrastructure discussed in this book and would like more tools for discussing the reasons why this sort of infrastructure is so important. I would definitely recommend this book.
December 12, 2023
Things I liked:
- Such a beautiful overview of how we could reimagine our cities to better support the public's health
- Imaginative with excellent case studies on how other cities and countries approach planning and climate resiliency;
- Great conversation starters on climate-resilient designs, community-based emergency preparedness, and the importance of walkable cities;
- Green space, sustainable water resources, civil engineering + public health ❤.
Things I did not like:
- For a book with Inequality in the name, not a hard and distinct callout of the systemic racism that created the segregation and health disparities we see perpetuated today. There is a sprinkling of redlining mentions and historical anecdotes, but there is a lot of both-sides-ing for topics that are not equally weighted;
- A lot of corporations talk with some critique, but not enough critique to balance out the corporate praise for corporate stewardship.
Overall, I loved this book and found that it captured a lot of what I dream of with the partnership of the built environment and healthy, resilient communities.
- Such a beautiful overview of how we could reimagine our cities to better support the public's health
- Imaginative with excellent case studies on how other cities and countries approach planning and climate resiliency;
- Great conversation starters on climate-resilient designs, community-based emergency preparedness, and the importance of walkable cities;
- Green space, sustainable water resources, civil engineering + public health ❤.
Things I did not like:
- For a book with Inequality in the name, not a hard and distinct callout of the systemic racism that created the segregation and health disparities we see perpetuated today. There is a sprinkling of redlining mentions and historical anecdotes, but there is a lot of both-sides-ing for topics that are not equally weighted;
- A lot of corporations talk with some critique, but not enough critique to balance out the corporate praise for corporate stewardship.
Overall, I loved this book and found that it captured a lot of what I dream of with the partnership of the built environment and healthy, resilient communities.
May 30, 2025
It was refreshing and inspiring to hear a non-library professional speak to the positive societal impact of public libraries. Librarians know that we are quite literally saving communities but to hear someone else confirm what we know gave me hope. I wish that all policy makers and government officials could have the opportunity to be inspired by Klinberg and invest in societal infrastructure in the way so many communities desperately need. If you’ve ever questioned the value of your public library infrastructure I’d challenge you to read this book.
November 2, 2025
„But when the social infrastructure gets degraded, the consequences are unmistakable. People reduce the time they spend in public settings and hunker down in their safe houses. Social networks weaken. Crime rises. Older and sick people grow isolated. Younger people get addicted to drugs and become more vulnerable to lethal overdoses. Distrust rises and civic participation wanes.“
June 19, 2025
As someone who is kind of steeped in this, the author makes important but unoriginal points on the effects and necessity of social infrastructure. Would serve as a good primer on the subject but personally, wasn't as deep an analysis as I has hoped.
October 9, 2024
Everyone should read this. If you are like me and became involved in a neighborhood association for something minor… and then it spiraled in to fill on civil advocacy, then you will enjoy this book.
It’s hard to read this and not want to scream at city govt’s for allowing and compounding this mess. The more we read and educate ourselves, the more we can demand of our leaders.
It’s hard to read this and not want to scream at city govt’s for allowing and compounding this mess. The more we read and educate ourselves, the more we can demand of our leaders.
March 11, 2019
Klinenberg imparts an impassioned and inspiring message about the need to shore up American society with places that will build community by bringing people together. The book meanders somewhat, though, and always seems to return to what becomes almost a refrain: "like, for example, libraries."
He means, of course, public libraries: no small quibble. None of his library examples are academic or special libraries, where so much funding is private or nonprofit. This in no way denigrates the work of those institutions. It is only to say they do not have a mission to serve the general public in a community context, as do public libraries.
Public libraries are largely funded by local tax revenues; their operations are overseen by a publicly-appointed board. There is considerable variation in the level and type of state tax support. Federal support is small in terms of dollars, but is strategically important for the development of tech-based processing networks and distribution of information. Public libraries are a public expense accepted by the large majority of American taxpayers, Republican and Democrat.
And yet -- with their rugged, self-help-through-self-education ethos that is as American as Benjamin Franklin -- public libraries are an increasingly anomalous feature in a political landscape that--seemingly, and increasingly--wants to raze the very idea on which they rest: that the government can and should invest public money in cultural infrastructure for the improvement of citizens' lives. Or, as Klinenberg muses parenthetically, "(If, today, the library didn't already exist, it's hard to imagine our society's leaders inventing it.)"
As a career public librarian, I often had this thought. Traditional conservatism of the kind that favored localism over centralization has morphed into an antipathy to government at all levels. This radical anti-civic ideology is what the "Reagan revolution" accomplished: spreading the belief that "government can do no good" at any level whatsoever.
And yet there is the American public library standing in direct contradiction of that ideology. When Andrew Carnegie wanted to bring self-education to the masses, how did he do it? He did not just scatter his money. He entered into a quid pro quo arrangement with local governments: if I build it, you must make sure they come. Years later, when Bill Gates wanted to do something similar with the potential of the Internet, he did a similar thing with local governments and their libraries: if I enable connectivity, you must maintain it.
This is the American face of culture that could be massively enhanced if Americans only allowed themselves to recognize "the commons" as a place deserving public investment. Sadly, historically-deaf Americans--in the grips of libertarians passing themselves off as conservatives and terrified of a nonexistent "socialist" bogeyman of their own fiendish imagination--will attend the final demise of the civic sense that has been a root of Americanism since Plymouth and the Declaration of Independence.
He means, of course, public libraries: no small quibble. None of his library examples are academic or special libraries, where so much funding is private or nonprofit. This in no way denigrates the work of those institutions. It is only to say they do not have a mission to serve the general public in a community context, as do public libraries.
Public libraries are largely funded by local tax revenues; their operations are overseen by a publicly-appointed board. There is considerable variation in the level and type of state tax support. Federal support is small in terms of dollars, but is strategically important for the development of tech-based processing networks and distribution of information. Public libraries are a public expense accepted by the large majority of American taxpayers, Republican and Democrat.
And yet -- with their rugged, self-help-through-self-education ethos that is as American as Benjamin Franklin -- public libraries are an increasingly anomalous feature in a political landscape that--seemingly, and increasingly--wants to raze the very idea on which they rest: that the government can and should invest public money in cultural infrastructure for the improvement of citizens' lives. Or, as Klinenberg muses parenthetically, "(If, today, the library didn't already exist, it's hard to imagine our society's leaders inventing it.)"
As a career public librarian, I often had this thought. Traditional conservatism of the kind that favored localism over centralization has morphed into an antipathy to government at all levels. This radical anti-civic ideology is what the "Reagan revolution" accomplished: spreading the belief that "government can do no good" at any level whatsoever.
And yet there is the American public library standing in direct contradiction of that ideology. When Andrew Carnegie wanted to bring self-education to the masses, how did he do it? He did not just scatter his money. He entered into a quid pro quo arrangement with local governments: if I build it, you must make sure they come. Years later, when Bill Gates wanted to do something similar with the potential of the Internet, he did a similar thing with local governments and their libraries: if I enable connectivity, you must maintain it.
This is the American face of culture that could be massively enhanced if Americans only allowed themselves to recognize "the commons" as a place deserving public investment. Sadly, historically-deaf Americans--in the grips of libertarians passing themselves off as conservatives and terrified of a nonexistent "socialist" bogeyman of their own fiendish imagination--will attend the final demise of the civic sense that has been a root of Americanism since Plymouth and the Declaration of Independence.
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