The Urban Commons Book Talk

Daniel T. O’Brien, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, as well as Co-Director of the Boston Area Research Initiative, discussed his new book, The Urban Commons.

Dan explained transformative insights obtained from years researching Boston’s 311 reporting system, a sophisticated city management tool that has revolutionized how ordinary Bostonians use and maintain public spaces.

The book reveals the power and potential of Boston’s 311 system, and the lessons learned that other cities can adapt. Dan also uses the work to speak to the broader opportunities and limitations of “smart cities” technologies.