Heather Boushey

The Limits of Work-Based Social Support in the United States

The authors provide an excellent overview of the nations social safety net. They find in particular that it neglects the working poor. What follows is a comprehensive look at what social programs the United States has and what it needs for a changing society as a new president takes office.

Why Don't More Young People Go to College?

Even though the gap between prospects for high school and college graduates has remained wide, young people are not rushing to attend college. Indeed, many economists believe widespread college education is the main avenue to future economic growth. These two analysts find that the pay-off of college does not accrue to all as is widely thought. And they propose that we channel policies to make college more financially worthwhile.

Capital in the Twenty-First Century, by Thomas Piketty

The authors show clearly the path dependency from teen work to young adult employment in their twenties. They document how poorly teens and young adults have done in the last dozen years across rich countries. This jobs crisis is now widely understood by the public.