First published in 1995. During the late 1980s and early 1990s the American economy again became immersed in a recession. Consequently, it became very likely that the quality of employment generated during this period would suffer, and the situation of the labor force would be expected to worsen. The study of labor force stratification can illuminate ways in which the American working class is segmented, as well as the relation to other social problems like poverty and delinquency.

In this book, the author explores underemployment, an arguably more accurate measure of labor force hardship than unemployment, amongst several demographic groups. This study will be of interest to students of both economics and sociology.