"Public structures" has proven to be an effective organizing idea for more constructive conversations about the role of government in American life. The concept was first developed by the principals of the Topos Partnership in research they conducted for Public Works in 2005, and since then, it has been field-tested by Public Works with advocates, elected officials, public sector managers, and public policy organizations around the country.
As part of a new round of research commissioned by Public Works to create more productive public dialog about public policy and economic outcomes, Topos has returned to the field to test the more specific idea that public structures are crucial foundations of the economy.
