Brave New Neighborhoods: The Privatization of Public Space

Fighting for First Amendment rights is as popular a pastime in America as ever, but just because you can get on your soapbox doesn’t mean anyone will be there to listen. Town squares have emptied out as shoppers decamp for the megamalls; gated communities keep pesky signature-gathering activists away; even most Internet chatrooms are run by the major media companies. Brave New Neighborhood considers what can be done to protect and revitalize our public spaces.