{"title":"Politics + Economics","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"palaces-for-the-people-how-social-infrastructure-can-help-fight-inequality-polarization-and-the-decline-of-civic-life-by-eric-klinenberg","title":"Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg","description":"\u003cb\u003eNATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us forward.”—Jon Stewart\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • “Engaging.”—Mayor Pete Buttigieg, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review \u003c\/i\u003e(Editors’ Choice)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe 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?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003ePalaces for the People\u003c\/i\u003e, 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, \u003ci\u003ePalaces for the People\u003c\/i\u003e offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Just brilliant!”—\u003cb\u003eRoman Mars, \u003ci\u003e99% Invisible\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“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.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003ePalaces for the People—\u003c\/i\u003ethe 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.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew Statesman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Clear-eyed . . . fascinating.”\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e—Psychology Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45957225480365,"sku":null,"price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0577\/3364\/4461\/files\/24205023482730.jpg?v=1777397310"},{"product_id":"neighborhoods-matter-how-place-and-people-affect-political-participation-by-carrie-levan","title":"Neighborhoods Matter by Carrie LeVan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe unexpected impact of neighborhood design on civic engagement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eParticipation in official governmental institutions and activities has declined dramatically. Americans are less inclined to express trust in, or cooperate with, political leaders and each other to address society's most pressing problems. In \u003ci\u003eNeighborhoods Matter, \u003c\/i\u003eCarrie LeVan explores this growing crisis in civic engagement, arguing that where we live –and the people who live around us– may be to blame.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on national surveys, census data, and spatial analysis, LeVan demonstrates how neighborhood design can dramatically impact political participation, including people's desire and ability to vote in local, state, and national elections. She argues that the suburbs, which isolate residents, require driving, and are zoned for single-use, do not provide an effective infrastructure for civic engagement. 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After World War II, white families rushed into newly built suburbs, where they accumulated wealth through homeownership and enjoyed access to superior public schools. In this revelatory new account of postwar suburbanization, historian Michael R. Glass exposes the myth of uniform suburban prosperity. Focusing on the archetypal suburbs of Long Island, \u003ci\u003eCracked Foundations\u003c\/i\u003e uncovers a hidden landscape of debt and speculation.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Glass shows how suburbanites were not guaranteed decent housing and high-quality education but instead had to obtain these necessities in the marketplace using home mortgages and municipal bonds. These debt instruments created financial strains for families, distributed resources unevenly across suburbs, and codified racial segregation. Most important, debt transformed housing and education into commodities, turning homes and schools into engines of capital accumulation. 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As young children, David and his siblings should have been focused on school, but instead they wandered the streets searching for shelter, food, and warmth while their mother struggled with mental illness. When David is placed into foster care, he initially sees it as a beacon of hope, only to find that it brings its own set of dangers. Shuffled between abusive homes and enduring the cruelty of those who rejected him for his emerging sexuality, David's experience paints a stark picture of systemic failure. Amid the turmoil, David found refuge and hope in libraries, schools, and the kindness of a few compassionate adults. His unyielding determination and resilience earned him a scholarship to Vassar College, marking the beginning of his escape from poverty. He later graduated from UCLA Law with a mission to reform laws impacting children in poverty.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eA Place Called Home\u003c\/i\u003e is a poignant journey from despair to hope. 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