Book Log 2010 #8: Searching for Whitopia by Richard Benjamin

This book chronicles Benjamin's adventures living in three of what he calls whitopias - locations that are whiter than the national average and have experienced greater than average population growth over the last 10 years from white people moving in. His interest is to find out why people are moving to these areas and what the advantages (and disadvantages) of living in a pocket of paleness.

Adding to the adventure is the fact that Benjamin is black, making him an obvious outlier in the communities he chooses (one each in Utah, Indiana and Idaho). And while he does experience some obvious racism, for the most part he finds his place in each community without too much trouble. Coupled with the discussions he has with residents, it becomes clearer that the whitopias aren't as much about race as they are about class and a perceived difference in values.

And that's where Benjamin is concerned. As much as the new residents feel comfortable and safe in their whitopia, the increased homogeneity of the community means less diversity in thought, culture, etc. How these places will fit in with the national community, which is growing more diverse, is an open question.

As much as I liked reading about Benjamin's experiences, I did feel a bit lost with the social science aspects of the book, especially at the end. Not sure if that's my fault or Benjamin's, but it does suggest that it may be just beyond the point of being a good commuting read (unless you can focus better than I can while on the train).