Unemployed America

In all the years since World War II, the United States has not seen job losses like it’s seen in the last two years.
Unemployment is now just under 10 percent, and expected to go higher next year. Long-term unemployment, the highest since records were launched in 1948. Economists are talking “jobless recovery,” which for millions will not seem like recovery at all.
This hour, On Point: We’re getting up close with America’s unemployment epidemic, and asking whether, when, and how the jobs will come back.
You can join the conversation. Tell us what you think — here on this page, on Twitter, and on Facebook.Guests:

Joining us from Washington is Massimo Calabresi, Washington correspondent for Time magazine. His article in this week's issue, "The Ripple Effect," looks at how unemployment has affected the community of Roxboro, NC. His piece appears as part of the cover story package, "Jobless in America: Is Double-Digit Unemployment Here to Stay?"

Also from Washington, we're joined by Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute focusing on labor markets.

And from New York we're joined by Richard Sennett, professor of sociology at New York University and the London School of Economics.  He's written several books on work-life dynamics, including "The Corrosion of Character" and "The Culture of the New Capitalism."