IN-PERSON London. Section A

Abstract

Laws, as they regulate both human behavior and the built environment, unquestionably influence the livability of a city. Another essential—yet often overlooked—force that bears on urban quality of life is manners. Admittedly, many in the twenty-first century would regard any discussion of this topic to be quaintly anachronistic at best. Yet manners (or as one British jurist put it, “obedience to the unenforceable”) are as relevant as laws to urban livability. Manners guide countless daily interactions and determine the character of buildings, streetscapes, and open spaces. In this way, manners affect both the physical health and the mental wellbeing of urban residents, and thereby initiate far-reaching economic, demographic, sociological, and cultural effects. This paper explores the essential relationship between laws and manners and their mutual role in shaping our experience of the city. It draws on a variety of case studies that demonstrate how, together, laws and manners influence social interactions and the built environment. This paper further discusses the nature of manners, revealing that while it is impossible simply to codify good manners, laws can nevertheless be crafted so as to promote civility. Ultimately, this paper shows both how and why manners are as indispensable as laws in creating and maintaining a livable city.