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What if society could move past traditional "gray infrastructure" approaches like seawalls and prisons to address problems such as climate change, terrorism, and crime? In Beyond Common Ground, Daniel P. Aldrich argues that social infrastructure—physical and virtual spaces including parks, libraries, and radio programs—offers a more effective alternative by fostering coproduction and multiple benefits.
Drawing on qualitative and quantitative evidence from Africa, Asia, and North America, this book demonstrates how these systems build social capital and resilience and proposes practical policies for implementation. Beyond Common Ground positions social infrastructure as a "polysolution" for our interconnected crises, urging society to stop treating it as a Cinderella service and prioritize equitable distribution.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
1. Beyond Breakwaters, Berms, Bombs, and Brigs
2. Defining Social Infrastructure
3. Extreme Weather Events
4. Crime
5. Terrorism
6. Barriers to Social Infrastructure Implementation and Their Solutions
7. Prioritizing Social Infrastructure for an Uncertain Future
Appendix
Notes
References
Index