Flickr Photo by Isabel Garconi
Robert Putnam and I have an Op-Ed in today’s USA Today (12/10/09) summarizing our evidence and others’ on the serious social consequences of unemployment, both to the unemployed and residents in the surrounding community.
The article also highlights research by Cristobal Young (on how most of the free time of the unemployed is spent alone) and longitudinal research by Sarah Burgard and Jennie Brand, showing that those unemployed early in their careers pay a lifelong penalty in levels of civic engagement.
Our research (with Chaeyoon Lim) focuses on how joblessness decreases civic participation, both for the unemployed and even for the employed that live in communities with high unemployment.
Read our Op-Ed “How Joblessness Hurts Us All“. Our research with Chaeyoon Lim will be a forthcoming academic paper; details will be posted once the article is approved.
