Middle Class Meltdown in America: Causes, Consequences, and Remedies

Based on income alone, nearly half of all adults in the United States can be considered "middle class," complete with the reassurance of a steady job, the ability to raise a family, and the comforts of owning a home. And yet, for many, because of structural forces reshaping the finances of the American middle class, the margin between a stable life and a fragile one is narrowing.

The new edition of Middle Class Meltdown in America: Causes, Consequences, and Remedies tells the story of the struggling American middle class by weaving together sociological and economical research, personalized portraits and examples, and a profusion of current data illustrating significant social, economic, and political trends. The authors extend their analysis to include the COVID-19 pandemic, a focus on the effect of race and ethnicity, as well as the ever-increasing costs of housing, healthcare, and education.

In clear, accessible writing, the authors provide a sociological and balanced understanding of the causes and implications of increasing middle class precarity. Middle Class Meltdown in America is particularly well-suited for courses in sociology, economics, political science, anthropology, and American Studies.

Kevin T. Leicht is a professor of sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research examines the relationship between globalization, economic change, and social inequality in a variety of contexts. His work has appeared in the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, and Academy of Management Journal.

Scott T. Fitzgerald is a professor of sociology and department chair at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. His research and teaching coalesce around issues of economic inequality, social movements, religion, and the nation state. His work has appeared in Mobilization, Sociological Spectrum, The Sociological Quarterly, and Social Forces.