Corralling a Chimera: A Critical Review of the Term Social Infrastructure

A growing body of literature - from disciplines including economics, engineering, finance, public policy, sociology, and urban planning - uses the phrase _social infrastructure_. Despite its increasing popularity, there is little agreement on its definition. Through a review of nearly 130 articles from a variety of platforms, trade publications, peer-reviewed journals and reports across a variety of fields from 1960 until the present, we demonstrate that essentially all references to the term can be categorized into five areas: education, healthcare, housing, transport, and networking spaces. Based on our analysis of the term, the confusion generated by alternative uses, and a recent shift in usage, we encourage scholars to use the definition centered on networking spaces. With this new focal point, we hope to better unify these fields and underscore the degree to which these facilities support critical connection-building processes across societies.