Facilitate a discussion in class about what type of “social infrastructure” (institutions) is necessary to create and maintain a community? First, start by defining the term, one which most students will probably be unfamiliar with. In his 2018 book, Palaces For the People; How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life, sociologist Eric Klinenberg defines social infrastructure as the physical elements of community that act as a conduit to bring people together and build social capital. All the places in a community where people can gather and socialize in a shared space (parks, libraries, bus stops, churches, schools, coffee shops) has the potential to serve as social infrastructure. The more inclusive this infrastructure is, the better it serves a community. Have students identify some common institutional types that you would expect to find in a typical community. How does community size (urban/rural), location, and other resources affect the social infrastructure that develops in a community? What types of social infrastructure are available in your community? What’s missing that students wish they had? What infrastructure do you have that might be unique?