3 Lies from Unemployment Stats: Can Anthropologists Do Better?

[A. Ashkuff]

Hey, OAC!

I received a call last year, asking me to complete a tele-survey, which pressured me into saying I was "employed" although I really wasn't. Afterward, I discovered at least three lies that "unemployment stats" tell us. See what I mean, at http://ashkuff.com/blog/?p=672

My questions for OAC: What're some problems with unemployment stats? Could anthropologists frame the "unemployment problem" better than statisticians? Are you employed? Unemployed? Somewhere in between? Of course, any other comments are welcome, too. I just want to keep the conversation rolling.

--- Ashkuff

[John McCreery]

You're in good company being concerned about unemployment. I just did a Google search for "unemployment statistics debate," and got 89,400,000 results. But seriously, the guy who has the best handle on this is U. of Texas economist James K. Galbraith. Check him out.