At the end of 2023, Dominique Willaert made a big impression with Niet alles maar veel begint bij luisteren (Not everything, but a lot starts with listening), a report from the Denderstreek, aka the Flemish Rust Belt. Just over a year later, he embarks on a new journey on the other side of the Atlantic, right through the real Rust Belt, through Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
At that point, only a few months separate the US from the presidential elections. But even then, it is already clear to the author that Trump will crown himself the winner.
En wat nu? (And Now What?) combines a chronicle of fascinating encounters with ordinary Americans with an in-depth analysis of the rise and growth of the far right and how the working class turned away from the Democratic Party en masse.
And What Now? also addresses the disruptive impact of affective polarisation and contagion, which Trump and the super-rich used to stage a coup against our democracy. The author also formulates a series of proposals on how we can defend ourselves against the far-right wave that is sweeping our world.
