Palaces for The People by Eric Klinenberg

We all want to belong to a community and to build social capital. Community diminishes social isolation, which lessens a myriad of mental and physical health consequences. In this book, Klinenberg looks at how the social infrastructure (what he defines as “physical conditions that determine whether social capital develops”) of a neighborhood helps or hinders how human connection and relationships are fostered. Klinenberg argues that social infrastructure is the key to safety and prosperity in 21st-century urban America. Social infrastructure plays a critical role in helping humans to form connections with each other in the public and private spaces in their surroundings. The book is full of sometimes sad and sometimes uplifting examples of the power of investing in social infrastructure, from schools to parks to shops to pools, and more. Klinenberg masterfully weaves topics like social media and climate security into his perspective on social infrastructure, which creates a spark for anyone looking to build, reignite or scale a community with an eye toward impact and longevity.

Doan Winkel
The John J. Kahl, Sr., Chair in Entrepreneurship & Director of the Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship, John Carroll University
President-Elect, USASBE
Co-Founder, Teaching Entrepreneurship
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