Scan barcode
A review by caitfoges
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg
4.0
I was inspired to read Palaces for the People after listening to an exceptional episode of the same name on the 99% Invisible podcast. The podcast episode focused almost entirely on libraries, which I loved. Part of me wishes Klinenberg had taken this same course with the book; some of the chapters/examples he included felt disjointed. Many of them were quite interesting by their own merit, but the overall argument of the book did not flow as well as I would have liked.
I also feel like Klinenberg did not go as far with his argument as he could have. His point that we are in dire need of better social infrastructure--actual physical, shared spaces where people have the chance to connect and improve as a whole--was well made. However, how exactly do we make sure that these vital social infrastructure projects get the funding that they deserve? What would successful implementation of these ideas require? To fully address these questions, I think Klinenberg would need to get more political than his apparent non-partisan stance allows. In my opinion, the book needed a bit more direct naming and blaming. That being said, I did appreciate his clear stance on many of the most crucial issues of our time: gentrification in cities, increased polarization and isolation, the impending doom of climate change, and how these trends have the most negative impact on poor, marginalized communities around the world.
I also feel like Klinenberg did not go as far with his argument as he could have. His point that we are in dire need of better social infrastructure--actual physical, shared spaces where people have the chance to connect and improve as a whole--was well made. However, how exactly do we make sure that these vital social infrastructure projects get the funding that they deserve? What would successful implementation of these ideas require? To fully address these questions, I think Klinenberg would need to get more political than his apparent non-partisan stance allows. In my opinion, the book needed a bit more direct naming and blaming. That being said, I did appreciate his clear stance on many of the most crucial issues of our time: gentrification in cities, increased polarization and isolation, the impending doom of climate change, and how these trends have the most negative impact on poor, marginalized communities around the world.