What’s the real impact of community? NYU professor and author Eric Klinenberg’s research about a deadly heat wave in Chicago is a powerful example of just how important community is to humanity’s resilience. Eric joins us to share what he’s identified about the importance of “social infrastructure” like libraries and parks — something he says is just as important as physical infrastructure like roads and bridges. His work is foundational to how we have been re-envisioning the workplace to be more like some of the best neighborhoods and communities where we live. Eric helps us connect what he’s learned about great communities to ideas for a better workplace.

Eric is a professor of social science and director of the institute for public knowledge at NYU. He’s the author of Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. He’s written a number of other books as well including Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone and Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. He’s been published in scholarly journals and contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, and This American Life.

Following our conversation with Eric, we’re joined by Susana Cantu, architect and designer at Steelcase who focuses on reimagining spaces to support how work is changing. She helps connect Eric’s research and insights to the way workplaces need to be designed differently.

Additional resources:

Eric Klinenberg’s website and books: https://www.ericklinenberg.com/

The Atlantic: Worry Less About Crumbling Roads and More About Crumbling Libraries (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/worry-less-about-crumbling-roads-more-about-crumbling-libraries/570721/)

NYU Keynote Address by Eric Klinenberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzJd0HKKTsM&t=102s

Work Better Article: The New Hybrid Neighborhood https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/topics/culture-talent/new-hybrid-neighborhood/

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Work Better podcast is hosted by Chris Congdon. Produced by Rebecca Charbauski. Creative art direction by Erin Ellison and Emily Cowdrey. Technical support by Mark Caswell and Jose Jimenez. Digital publishing by Areli Arellano and Jordan Marks. Editing and sound mixing by SoundPost Studios.