Why Public Space Matters

Why Public Space Matters by Setha M. Low is a book arguing that vital public spaces like parks, plazas, and beaches are essential for individual well-being and societal health, promoting social justice, democratic engagement, creativity, and psychological health through social contact and recognition of difference. Low draws on decades of ethnographic research to demonstrate the psychological and social benefits of these spaces, while also highlighting their vulnerability to urban development and privatization, ultimately calling for greater policy attention to protect and expand these communal resource