The National Mall: No Ordinary Public Space

The National Mall in Washington, D.C. is one of the most important and highly visible urban public spaces in the U.S. It is considered by many Americans to be “the nation’s front yard.” Yet few have written about the role of this public space in the twenty-first century.

In The National Mall, Lisa Benton-Short explores the critical issues that are redefining and reshaping this extraordinary public space. Her work focuses on three contemporary and interrelated debates about public space: the...