Exurbia Now

Political columnist David Masciotra provides a powerful exploration of what EXURBIA is and the racist, politically divisive institutions that uphold it. The term “Exurbia” is offered as the explanation for the rise of Donald Trump, and the extreme, violent right. But what exactly is it and how potent a force is it? In Exurbia Now political and cultural journalist David Masciotra travels through the “exurban” and suburban parts of “Chicagoland” – the greater metropolitan area of Chicago—exploring the pockets of middle and upper middle class towns, juxtaposing increasingly diverse suburbia with the epicenters of white rage and escapism within exurbia. Exurbia Now tracks the path of White Flight throughout the US, outlining how the exurban existence has evolved from “slow living” to right wing hostility toward broader American culture. Simultaneously outrageous and reassuring, Masciotra delves into the dynamics that exist within exurban communities, specifically how modern media, the death of local media, Christian nationalism, and the ongoing neglect of public goods and natural resources have exacerbated the divide between the exurban world and the urban and suburban. Combining interviews, research, and anecdote—and anchored in personal experience— Exurbia Now delivers a powerful ballad on the state of the exurbs and suburbs, and gives voice to those working towards a better future.