POPS Goes the City: Privately Owned Public Space and Its Discontents
Why is so much of the “public space” in cities actually private, and who benefits from it being that way?
Designing for Community and Climate in Los Angeles
How can we design public spaces that help people thrive and connect—with each other and with their environment?
Face Value: Can You Spot a Cheater at First Glance?
Looking for love this holiday season? Science suggests first-glance impressions may offer tiny signals about personality, trust, and even cheating tendencies.
In Praise of Loitering
A possible remedy to sexual harassment and assault in public spaces is to encourage more people of all kinds to spend time on the streets.
Playing with Consciousness
Out-of-the-ordinary mental states are the goal of many religious rituals, but they’re also important in “playful” situations like kids’ games and fraternal hazing.
Ideal Missing Persons
Overrepresented as victims, missing white women and girls drive ratings and clicks for traditional and internet media.
Potluck Nation
Food in America is a living archive of exchange and adaptation, where “ethnic” cuisines blend and redefine what national identity tastes like.
We Descend from the River
Public spaces are often sites of commemoration of events in the nation’s history. But which public is represented in and served by those spatialized celebrations?
The Promise and Problems of Public Lands: A Reading List
Discover key research on U.S. public lands through scholarly works exploring conservation, Indigenous knowledge, and public policy.
Perspectives on Public Space: A Reading List
This list introduces some of the main debates about public space, from park politics to political protest, public expressions of sexuality to safety and security.