IN-PERSON London. Section A

Abstract

Cities rely on infrastructures associated with the production and assimilation of water, waste, energy, and food. Within the modern metropolis these systems and networks are largely evaluated on their technical and economic aspects – only recognized as important for their services and products—rather than their social equity. The Hidden Social Dimension of Infrastructure uncovers qualities of infrastructural spaces that enable societal and environmental exchange. It asks if infrastructures can foster a culture of care for the resources that make up these systems as well as the communities in which they are located? The work suggests ways to re-think infrastructure in cities through the investigation of two Canadian cities—Halifax and Montreal—to understand how certain infrastructures foster collective societal goals while others do not. It is particularly timely and asks important questions about how humans can live well—not only with one another—but symbiotically together with their broader support networks and eco-systems.