ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to outline the trends that are emerging in the production and practices of these privately governed gated communities. It describes the corporation's purposes as to "provide neighbourhood protection", "improve relationships between the Bonanza Elementary School and the Community", "promote neighbourhood beautification and improvement of property", "support youth activities and recreation within the community" and "improve public relations within the community boundaries and with other civic and political entities". The transformation resembles the construction of a physical and institutional pomerium, or sanctified wall, around the affluent portions of an increasingly divided society. The pomerium is an ancient concept dating to pre-Roman times and used in the demarcation of Rome itself. The pomerium was, in essence, an imaginary line drawn around the spiritual city. Instead of surrounding an entire city, emerging pomerium demarcates the protected islands of walled and gated private communities.
