What makes a society fragile? Fragile states expert Dr. Seth Kaplan shares the story of why he started researching the relational underpinnings of societies and how they contribute to societies’ fragility and flourishing. He also discusses what a beautiful neighborhood looks like and why they’re so important.

In this clip of Beauty At Work episode, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dr. Kaplan reflects on his intellectual journey—from global exploration and entrepreneurship to the study of fragile states and American communities. Drawing from his book Fragile Neighborhoods, he emphasizes the foundational role of social relationships in national stability and personal well-being, and explores how neighborhood-level vitality holds the key to reversing societal decline.

You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/1XYVvy9jdYw

To learn more about Seth’s work, you can find him at: https://sethkaplan.org/

You can order his book Fragile Neighborhoods here: https://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Neighborhoods-Repairing-American-Society/dp/0316521396/

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This episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

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