Examining the ways in which the contemporary landscape is shaped by a preoccupation with fear, this volume looks at home design, security systems, gated communications, semi-public spaces, zoning regulations and cyberspace. The text asserts that this fixation also manifests itself in efforts to provide public parks but control the problem of homelessness. The essayists in this volume seek to explain that such disjointed efforts exacerbate rather than eradicate the sources of fear and insecurity. The contributors offer suggestions for proaction, not reaction, to counter both real and perceived problems in contemporary society.