If you want to understand rural America, critics say, look beyond Hillbilly Elegy.
Since its publication in June 2016, J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy has gained media acclaim for its portrayal of life in a region considered opaque by those outside of it. But the book has also been roundly criticized for feeding into the caricature and demonization of rural communities facing extreme poverty, substandard infrastructure, and economic upheaval.
Rather than indulge what he calls "a blame-the-victim and culture-of-poverty narrative," Eric Kerl of Chitucky has put together a collection of alternative resources for those seeking to understand Appalachian history, culture, and politics, highlighting the underlying issues of "poverty, racism, underdevelopment, and struggle" that have structured the region.
The syllabus includes some recent and forthcoming publications, including What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia (February 2018) by Elizabeth Catte—who criticized Elegy on her blog and for Boston Review—and Steven Stoll's Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia (November 2017), reviewed here by Pro Publica.
FULL STORY: A Hillbilly Syllabus
On Poverty's New Suburban Look
Author Scott Allard debunks lingering myths about how people experience poverty in cities. Poverty's suburbanization, he argues, has more to do with the loss of jobs than migration from "inner cities."
The Gentrification of (Tiny Bits) of Gotham
Reports of New York's gentrification are sometimes exaggerated.
A Chronicle of Inequality—Starting with Memphis and Houston
Places Journal has launched a series titled "The Inequality Chronicles." Expect high-quality longform articles.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research