Territory without turf

The ideas of “territory” and “turf” are important parts of both our folk theory and scholarly treatments of the city. Our territory is where we feel at home and have a measure of control outside of our private residences. Our turf suggests something similar, but less benign, highlighting the potential for exclusion, closure, and conflict. In this paper, I explore a problem for attempts to achieve territory-protecting urban policy. Justice requires territory but prohibits turf. Yet the inherently dynamic nature of territory induces attempts at preservation, most of which will be limited at best. Further, some attempts will produce illegitimate attempts at controlling territory. The result is that there is a pronounced risk of territory degenerating into turf. Realizing territory without turf—balancing control with dynamism—is one of the central challenges in the philosophy and policy of the city. I develop a moderate account of territorial maintenance as a way out of the puzzle.