{"podcast":{"title":"New Books in Geography","slug":"new-books-in-geography-1058637","podcast_index_feed_id":1058637,"rss_url":"https://feeds.simplecast.com/ohF7dUq3","website_url":"https://newbooksnetwork.com/category/politics-society/geography/","image_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/04d31562-8508-4b88-ae38-4f4ca8fa3a91/3728a966-daf7-46ee-9655-7a98eaba676d/3000x3000/3d5e577cea5bac9130b94a4d9ab3323a.png?aid=rss_feed","author":"New Books Network","episode_count":600,"summary":"This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: ⁠https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/⁠ Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetwork Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/geography","last_synced_at":"2026-09-19T12:22:21.420261+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-geography-1058637"},"episode":{"title":"Carrie LeVan, \"Neighborhoods Matter: How Place and People Affect Political Participation\" (NYU Press, 2026)","slug":"carrie-levan-neighborhoods-matter-how-place-and-people-affect-political-participation-nyu-press-2026","published_at":"2026-07-04T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-geography-1058637/carrie-levan-neighborhoods-matter-how-place-and-people-affect-political-participation-nyu-press-2026","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-geography-1058637","url":"https://newbooksnetwork.com/category/politics-society/geography/","audio_url":"https://injector.simplecastaudio.com/04d31562-8508-4b88-ae38-4f4ca8fa3a91/episodes/7097895f-f90b-4781-bf56-fe245b21c547/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=04d31562-8508-4b88-ae38-4f4ca8fa3a91&awEpisodeId=7097895f-f90b-4781-bf56-fe245b21c547&feed=ohF7dUq3","summary":"Participation in official governmental institutions and activities has declined dramatically. Americans are less inclined to express trust in, or cooperate with, political leaders and each other to address society's most pressing problems. In Neighborhoods Matter: How Place and People Affect Political Participation (NYU Press, 2026), Carrie LeVan explores this growing crisis in civic engagement, arguing that where we live—and the people who live around us—may be to blame. Drawing on national surveys, census data, and spatial analysis, LeVan demonstrates how neighborhood design can dramatically impact political participation, including people's desire and ability to vote in local, state, and national elections. She argues that the suburbs, which isolate residents, require driving, and are zoned for single-use, do not provide an effective infrastructure for civic engagement. However, cities, which are often designed to be walkable, more interactive, and are zoned for mixed-use, provide a supportive environment where people and politics can thrive. Ultimately, LeVan underscores how neighborhoods that support interaction, competition, collective action—and even conflict—can support greater civic engagement and political participation. Neighborhoods Matter highlights the connection between politics, people, and place, calling for good suburban and urban design that can support a vibrant and engaging civic life. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/geography","meta_description":"Participation in official governmental institutions and activities has declined dramatically. Americans are less inclined to express trust in, or cooper…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3397,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/new-books-in-geography-1058637/episodes/carrie-levan-neighborhoods-matter-how-place-and-people-affect-political-participation-nyu-press-2026/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-geography-1058637/carrie-levan-neighborhoods-matter-how-place-and-people-affect-political-participation-nyu-press-2026.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}