The construc?ion of such places may, of course,
be viewed as a means to procure benefits for populations
within a particular jurisdiction, and indeed
this is a primary claim made in the public discourse
developed to support them. But for the most part,
their form is such as to make all benefits indirect
and potentially either wider or smaller in scope
than the jurisdiction within which they lie. Placespecific
projects of this sort also have the habit of
becoming such a focus of public and political attention
that they divert concern and even resources
from the broader problems that may beset the region
or territory as a whole.