The Fight Over the American Dream: Trump, Mamdani, and the Move from Penthouse to Public Housing

In a deeply divided America, the 2025 New York City mayoral election becomes a national crucible. The victory of Zohran Mamdani-a young, Ugandan-born, Muslim, democratic socialist-is not just a local political upset; it is a seismic event that challenges the very definition of the American Dream.

From Penthouse to Public Housing offers a penetrating sociological analysis of this pivotal moment. It asks the defining questions of our time: Does Mamdani's improbable rise from an immigrant background to the highest office in the world's financial capital reaffirm the promise of upward mobility? Or does his anti-capitalist mandate, built on wealth redistribution and collective ownership, signal a profound and permanent break from America's individualistic ethos? .

Authored as a deep sociological analysis by Hichem Karoui, this book dismantles the competing narratives surrounding Mamdani's triumph. It examines his victory as both a fulfilment of the American political ideal of open access and a clear indicator of societal disillusionment with unfettered capitalism.

This is more than the story of one election. It is a critical case study of a grassroots, class-based movement confronting the immense power of the American federal system. Mamdani's time in office is framed as a "critical experiment" that will test the limits of local radicalism against an establishment ready to contain it. This book is an essential guide to understanding the structural fractures in urban politics and the ideological battle for America's future.