Book backlash says white, rural rage is no such thing

White Rural Rage is a new book that argues white rural Americans’ propensity for political violence and mistrust of institutions pose a grave threat to American democracy. Published last month, it has quickly reached US bestseller lists. It’s also prompted an academic backlash led by the social scientists whose research was used to prove its thesis. An article in The Atlantic by Tyler Austin Harper – a professor and ruralite from Pennsylvania – accuses the book’s authors, Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman, of cherry picking and distorting research to overstate their case. That’s not to say there’s no underlying resentment in the US that threatens democracy. But Harper says the book’s cited articles actually show this “rage” is as likely to be urban as rural; is greatest in districts with high immigration; and is only marginally lower in progressive, left-leaning districts. While the US has a problem with rage, it doesn’t seem to be especially white or rural.

UK

8/4 – Northern Ireland assembly returns from Easter recess; Aslef union strike action affects multiple train lines; state pension increase takes effect, 9/4 – Shortlist for International Booker Prize announced; Alan Bates appears at the Post Office public inquiry, 10/4 – Preliminary hearing for module 3 of the Covid Inquiry; Dr Hilary Cass’s review into NHS gender identity services published, 11/4 – British Chambers of Commerce quarterly economic survey; NHS England key services performance data and A&E indicators published; Minimum income threshold for bringing dependents to the UK increases to £29,000; British Academy hold games awards; Brianna Ghey inquest hearing held, 12/4 – Grand National horse race; GDP monthly estimate for February published, Undercover Policing Inquiry begins, 14/4 – Olivier Awards.

World

8/4 – Full solar eclipse seen in the US; Josep Borrell holds press conference on Red Sea maritime security; 39th Space Symposium held in Colorado, 9/4 – Leo Varadkar replaced as Ireland’s Taoiseach by Simon Harris, 10/4 – Eid al-Fitr festival marks the end of Ramadan; South Korea holds parliamentary elections; World Trade Organization publishes outlook and statistics report, 11/4 – Official selection for Cannes film festival announced; Biden hosts first summit between the US, Japan and the Philippines, 12/4 – Marathon des Sables held in Morocco; first weekend of Coachella held in California, 13/4 – Politicians honoured in Rwandan genocide anniversary ceremony; Wyoming Democratic caucuses; Vaisakhi Day, the Sikh New Year, 14/4 – Final round of US Masters golf tournament.