The Tolls of Uncertainty: How Privilege and the Guilt Gap Shape Unemployment in America

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An indispensable investigation into the American unemployment system and the ways gender and class affect the lives of those looking for work Through the intimate stories of those seeking work, The Tolls of Uncertainty offers a startling look at the nation's unemployment system-who it helps, who it hurts, and what, if anything, we can do to make

Reviews

"Honorable Mention for the Scholarly Achievement Award, North Central Sociological Association"
"Damaske powerfully demonstrates how gender and class intersect and produce widely divergent experiences among the unemployed. In a vivid and insightful analysis of recently unemployed working- and middle-class women and men, Damaske reveals novel mechanisms through which unemployment both exacerbates existing inequalities and creates new inequalities. The study offers unparalleled insight into the trajectories of the unemployed and makes poignant contributions to our understanding of economic inequality and gender. . . . An extremely captivating, compelling, and careful analysis of various gendered and classed mechanisms reproducing and creating inequalities among the unemployed."---Pilar Gonalons-Pons, Social Forces
"Damaske makes a compelling case that unemployment, like the pathways leading up to and following it, touches people in vastly different ways. . . . She argues we can do better. Lets hope we can and do. The Tolls of Uncertainty points to narratives and policies that could undermine rather than reinforce existing inequalities."---Naomi Gerstel, Contemporary Sociology
"[A] fascinating new book. . . . The Tolls of Uncertainty reveals that middle-class white men are vastly overrepresented among the beneficiaries who fully recover from unemployment, while other groups tread water or end up worse off."---Christine L. Williams, Gender & Society
"There's a way to change the system and the way is to read [The Tolls of Uncertainty]. People need to understand that the unemployment experience is not these odd, ugly stereotypes."---Mark Price, Evidence-to-Impact podcast
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[The Tolls of Uncertainty] offers enduring lessons about unemployment and the family.

Author Bio

Sarah Damaske is professor of sociology and labor and employment relations at Pennsylvania State University. Her books include For the Family and The Science and Art of Interviewing, and her work has been featured in such venues as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the BBC. She lives in State College, Pennsylvania. Twitter @sarahdamaske