A better poverty measure

Pretty exciting news from the Census Bureau. The Census will begin developing an alternative way to measure poverty. Currently poverty is based on a formal developed in the 1960s, when food costs where a larger share of a household's income. Now food is less expensive and housing, child care, and medical expenses dominate.

While this is a big step forward in terms of better understanding the nature of poverty in the United States, changing the official poverty measure will most likely take years and a lot of political wrangling.

For more detailed information about this change see the Center for American Progress

Depending on how you measure it, marriage has and still benefits men

A new report from Pew shows that married women have made large gains in earnings and education, sometimes out earning their husbands. Maybe it's because I have been listening to too much punk rock lately, but this quote about the report really set me off today:

"What's radically changed is that marriage now is a better deal for men," said Richard Fry, co-author of the report, published by the Pew Research Center. "Now when men marry, often their spouse works quite a bit. Often she is better-educated than the guy." In 1970, unmarried men "had a higher economic status than married guys," he said, "but no longer." (Source: Washington Post)

Apparently Mr. Fry hasn't had a chance to review work by Heidi Hartmann or Nancy Folbre, but marriage has traditionally benefited men. Stay-at-home wives/mothers don't earn a "wage" for housework and child care but these acts of emotional labor certainly benefit husbands/fathers. Or maybe Mr. Fry also forgot Arlie Hochschild's work on how working wives not only work an 8-hour day but then come home to work a "second shift" of caring for the house and children.

The amount of time fathers spend on housework and child care has increased in the last few decades, but we are still a long ways off from having balanced families where all responsibilities are equally shared. As I see it, neither wives or husbands are gaining as the average family struggles to find affordable housing, must endure long commutes to work, and face an insufficient social welfare system that does not value ALL types of families.

Federal statistics are a bargain for taxpayers

The New Republic reports the 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed by President Obama. The act will provide additional financial support to agencies that generate demographic, economic, and social statistical data. The largest amount goes to the Census Bureau to ensure better data collection and timely products from the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, and the Local Employment Dynamics Program.

Data from federal surveys is free and easy to use, so this is a win-win for the federal statistical agencies and public data users. Data geeks unite!

Preview the 2010 Census

Before you now it, the 2010 Census will be here and it is critical that you and your household fill it out. The 2010 Census is the one of the shortest forms in history, with only 10 questions. Most of the detailed social and economic data is now collected by the American Community Survey.

Beginning in March, the Census Bureau will deliver a short 10-question form to every household in America. Respondents should fill out the form to account for everyone living at his/her address as of April 1, 2010. The 2010 Census includes a prepaid envelope with the form, so respondents can mail it back as soon as possible.

You can check out the form here.

Father Involvement with Children Following Marital and Non-Marital Separations

A paper that I co-authored with Danielle Farrie and Jay Fagan has finally been published in the journal Fathering.

Abstract
Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, the present study examines levels of father involvement with children between married and cohabiting couples post-separation. Differences in father involvement were analyzed using three hypotheses and one research question- repartnering,traditional values, human capital, and relationship quality. Multiple regression analysis revealed that previously cohabitating fathers were more involved with children than previously married fathers, although not all measures of involvement were significantly related to prior marital status. Findings point to several policy implications for low income couples with children.

To cite:
Laughlin, L., Farrie, D., and Fagan, J. (2009). Father Involvement with Children Following Marital and Non-Marital Separations. Fathering, 73(3), 226-248.

The article can be found here.

Employment Opportunities in the New Economy for PhDs

I will be speaking about employment opportunities outside of academics at the upcoming Sociologists for Women in Society meeting in San Fransisco. I will talk about employment opportunities for sociologists in the government sector as well as the difference between a government and non-government job search. I will also discuss the role of "public" sociology and how to increase the presence of sociologists beyond the ivory tower. If you, or your students, will be at the SWS meeting or the Annual American Sociological Association meeting, I hope you will stop by.


A full description of the panel is below:
Saturday, August 8th
12:30pm

"Beyond the Tenure-Track: Employment Opportunities in the New Economy for PhDs"

Panelists: Lynda Laughlin, Eleanor Lyon, Christine Morton, and Margaret Weigers Vitullo

Co-sponsored by SWS Student Concerns and Career Development Committees.

A group of experts who have held a range of positions provide information and ideas about finding, attaining, and succeeding in a range of jobs including government positions, non-governmental organizations, consulting, and research organizations. Panelists also discuss how to develop professional networks outside academia, how to recognize and develop the skills that are in demand, and how to translate ourselves, skills, and interests to a wider marketplace.

Michele Bachmann is an Idiot

A co-worker recently brought to my attention what an idiot Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is when it comes to national data. Bachmann told a local news station in Minneapolis that she won't provide any information, beyond the number of individuals in her household, on the upcoming 2010 Census. The Representative cites concerns about the government collecting social and economic information. How nice of her to at least fill out how individuals live in her household, since it is the population count that determines the location of congressional districts. I guess she knows that her job depends on the size of her Congressional district.

Her statements regarding the Census and federal statistical data in general, are dissapointing especially because she is an elected official and should know better. Census data is a vital community tool and provides imporant social and economic information that can be used to improve schools, roads, and other services that individuals in congressional districts like Bachmann's use on daily. If she doen't want the governement to know how much her household makes, does that mean she refuses to file her taxes with the IRS? Compared to corporate American, the federal statistical surveys only provide basic information about the American public. The credit care industry knows more about the income and spending habits of the American public, as do grocery stores. One swipe of the bounus card tracks your spending habits and personal shopping desires. Which probably explains why I get a lot of spam regarding feline care and natural peanut butter.

The Census helps to document the pluse of America and provides vital information about the livliehood of American communities, data that is critical during these economic times. The information provided to the Census is highly protected and privacy is of the upmost concern of the Census and its employees. Bachmann's statements regarding the Decennial Census are insluting to the American people and the good people at the Census Bureau who take their jobs seriously.

Don't listen to Bachmann and fill out your Census come next April. Your community depends on it.