“Want to learn more about social infrastructure? This book is exactly what you need. Thoughtfully compiled, it introduces the concept of social infrastructure and offers a valuable overview of its emergence and applications in the social sciences.” — Kevin Ward, University of Manchester

“I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in empirical research on how to better foster community connectivity across different places.” — Sarah Pearson, Sheffield Hallam University

“It makes a welcome and constructive contribution to the discussion of how to better support the shared spaces that bring our communities together.” — Michael Kenny, University of Cambridge

★ Co-authored by urban geographer and Professor of Human Geography at University College London, Alan Latham, and Jack Leighton, a fellow at the Young Foundation, with endorsements from scholars at universities including Manchester and Cambridge! This book focuses on communities and urban social infrastructure, systematically examining the role of public spaces in sustaining social bonds.
★ The book presents an interdisciplinary theoretical framework for “social glue,” bringing together leading scholars from the UK, the US, and Australia and introducing the innovative concept of “social infrastructure.” It systematically reconceptualizes everyday spaces—such as parks, libraries, pubs, and even street games—as “social infrastructure,” revealing how physical places support community life, foster interpersonal trust, and strengthen social networks, thereby offering theoretical support for rebuilding collective life in an increasingly atomized modern society.
★ Offering a global panorama of innovative cases, the book draws on numerous cutting-edge empirical examples from the UK, Europe, Australia, and the United States, vividly illustrating the mechanisms of shared spaces across diverse cultural and social contexts and providing urban planners, community practitioners, and researchers with highly actionable models for practical application.
★ Against the backdrop of accelerating global urbanization, this work directly addresses pressing social challenges such as societal fragmentation and neighborly estrangement, demonstrating how carefully designed and maintained social infrastructure can unite communities and enhance urban well-being—combining scholarly foresight with strong practical relevance.

From parks and libraries to bars and schools, social infrastructure serves as the spaces where people come together in their daily lives, sustains community, and fosters interpersonal connections. As interest in this concept continues to grow, this timely and accessible collection offers a comprehensive overview of social infrastructure—its origins, evolution, and real‑world impact.
The book brings together a wealth of innovative case studies from the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and the United States, highlighting how these shared spaces shape urban life and well‑being. Featuring contributions from leading scholars, it provides an essential framework for understanding and researching the places that foster social cohesion in an increasingly fragmented world.

Alan Latham
Alan Latham is an urban geographer and Professor of Human Geography at University College London. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Geography from Massey University in 1990, a Master’s degree in Human Geography from Massey University in 1992, and a PhD from the University of Bristol in 1997. From 1996 to 1997, he served as a visiting researcher at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) at the Technical University of Berlin; from 1997 to 1999, he was a research fellow with New Zealand’s Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (NZFoRST) at the University of Auckland; and from 1999 to 2006, he was a lecturer in Geography at the University of Southampton. Since 2006, he has been a lecturer, then an associate professor, and now a professor of Human Geography at University College London (UCL).

His research focuses on urban sociability, social infrastructure, and broader aspects of urban public life. He has conducted studies in Germany, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, examining cities such as Auckland, London, New York, Eugene (Oregon), Malmö, Berlin, and Champaign–Urbana.

Prior to joining University College London, he taught at the University of Southampton and the University of Auckland. His publications include “How to Study Social Life,” “Key Thinkers in Urban Studies,” and “Key Concepts in Urban Geography” (published by SAGE).

Jack Layton
Place Impact and Research Manager at the Young Foundation.
Dr. Jack Layton joined the Young Foundation in 2023 as a Senior Researcher and was promoted to Local Research and Impact Manager in 2025. Previously, he worked at Bridge Group, a small research and consulting firm focused on social equity in higher education and the workforce. Before that, Jack earned his PhD from University College London (UCL), where his research examined the role of urban public sports facilities as social infrastructure. He has authored numerous widely read and frequently cited articles that have advanced the concept of social infrastructure within the UK context.

Through his work, Jack is committed to making our towns and cities more livable places. He strives to ensure that the voices of people across different communities are heard and that their needs are given priority.

Part I: Introduction
1. Social Infrastructure in Communities and Cities—Alan Latham and Jake Leyton
2. Introducing the Concept of Social Infrastructure—Alan Latham and Jake Leyton

Part II: Spaces of Social Infrastructure
3. Public Libraries—Angelina Gobe and Peter Dixmeier
4. Parks—Lisa Griffin and Kay Pallaris
5. Public Squares—Hannah Widmer
6. Schools—Beth Perry, Lee Crooks, and the Aberthorn Writers
7. Co‑working Spaces—Aline Manzini
8. Bars, Cafés, and Pubs—Regan Koch and Alan Latham
9. Allotment Gardens—Liz Cox

Part III: The Social Life of Social Infrastructure
10. Civic Organizations—Lindsay Campbell, Erika Svenson, Michelle Johnson, and Laura Landau
11. Street Movements—David Trouille and Michael Delan
12. Social Networks—Alasdair Jones
13. Older Adults—Sophie Yack
14. Youth Social Infrastructure—Luke Billingham

Part IV: Building Social Infrastructure
15. Street Play—Alison Stening
16. Designing Spaces for Adolescent Girls—Olivia Siokarides‑Feldman and Julia King
17. Pedestrian‑Friendly Streets—David Prisecchi
18. Constructing, Deconstructing, and Rebuilding Social Infrastructure—Dimitrios Panagiotopoulos‑Ziros, Maeve Blackman, Florence Sutcliffe‑Braithwaite, Lucy Natarajan, Mifanwei Taylor, and John Tomani

Part V: Social Infrastructure and Public Issues
19. Responding to the Pandemic—Gesina Tuitje, Leonie Tuitje, and Anna‑Lisa Müller
20. Low‑Traffic Neighborhoods—Ersilia Verlinghieri, Asa Thomas, Rachel Oldred, and Harry Larington‑Spencer
21. Transforming Library Use—Sarin Schlofer‑Armstrong
22. Post‑disaster Social Infrastructure—David Conradson
23. Social Infrastructure and Policy Making—Owen Garin

Part VI: Conclusion
24. The Future of Social Infrastructure Research—Alan Latham and Jake Leyton
25. Afterword—Eric Klinenberg and Matthew Wolf