A prediction that made headlines across the United States ten years ago is fast becoming reality: By 2050, whites will no longer be the American majority. A related, less-reported trend is that as immigrant populations--largely people of color--increase in cities and suburbs, more and more whites are moving to small cities and exurban areas that are predominantly, even extremely, white. Journalist Rich Benjamin calls these enclaves "Whitopias." To learn what makes them tick and why and how they are growing, Benjamin--a black American--packed his bags and lived for several months in three such communities: Forsyth County, Georgia; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and St. George, Utah. He became familiar with the landscapes and social structures; he got to know and sometimes grew fond of the residents; and through his reporting, he reveals the psychological, political, and cultural implications of this phenomenon. Economics drove previous American migrations--pioneers heading west, blacks moving north, farmers fleeing the Dust Bowl. But what is the cause of this new shift? Whitopia uncovers the real reasons some Americans are happy to leave the rest of us behind.

Related Categories:
Books > Social Science > Minority Studies - Race Relations
Books > Social Science > Ethnic Studies - General
Books > Social Science > Social Classes