ILRHR 4635 - Unemployment: Causes, Experiences, and Responses

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Co-meets with ILRHR 6635.

I. Greer.

Unemployment is damaging to individuals, families, and society. Governments around the world have attempted to mitigate these harms, in some countries through generous out-of-work benefits, intensive services for job seekers, and disincentives for employers to lay workers off in the first place. But why is unemployment so persistent in capitalist societies? What does it mean for an individual to be unemployed? What can the US learn from other countries to better combat unemployment and reduce its socially damaging effects? This course explores these questions in an interdisciplinary fashion through readings and lectures by researchers, advocates, and policymakers from around the US and Europe.