ABSTRACT
All living organisms observe some sense of territoriality, that is, some sense—whether learned or instinctive to their species—in which control over space is deemed central for survival. Although man's domination over space is potentially unlimited, in contemporary society it appears that men acknowledge increasingly fewer free territories for themselves. Free territory is carved out of space and affords opportunities for idiosyncrasy and identity. In American society where territorial encroachment affects nearly all members of society, certain segments of the population are particularly deprived, namely, Negroes, women, youth, and inmates of various kinds. With these categories in mind, this selection re-introduces a neglected dimension of social analysis important to understanding deprived groups. Informal restrictions on access to public territories often violate unenforced or as yet untested rights of citizens. Home territories are areas where the regular participants have a relative freedom of behavior and a sense of intimacy and control over the area.
