In the last twenty years, thousands of the upper and middle classes have retreated into gated communities. What has sparked this alarming trend? Low probes the hopes and fears of her subjects to portray the change in American middle-class values marked by the emergence of enclosed communities in the suburbs.

Preface Prologue 1. Arriving at the Gates 2. Protecting the Children 3. Recreating the Past 4. Searching for the Perfect Community 5. Urban Fear 6. Retirement and Taxes 7. Leaving the Gates Behind 8. Unlocking the Gated Community Bibliography Appendix: Residential History Interview Schedule

Setha Low is Professor of Anthropology and Environmental Psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Theorizingthe City: The New Urban Anthropology Reader; Housing,Culture, and Design; Cultural Spaces; and PlaceAttachment.