Bringing sociological findings into the mix might be good for state policies and strategies: Whileeconomics might the subject that presidents and world leaders rely on almost entirely to set strategies and create policies, the risk of giving one academic discipline so much say in the shaping of public policy is that “when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail,” Neil Irwin writes in the NYT blog The Upshot, suggesting that lending an ear to sociologists might just be what the doctor ordered. “Most pressing problems in big chunks of the US may show up in economic data as low employment levels and stagnant wages, but are also evident in elevated rates of depression, drug addiction, and premature death.” The economic outlook offers only a partial view of the problem and as a result delivers only partial and unsustainable solutions. Because sociologists dedicate their lives to the study of issues such as identity, community, and society, this branch of academics — paired with economics — can give policymakers a more well-rounded view of the task(s) at hand.

For example, while employment is important for sustaining our livelihoods, it would beinaccurate to say that unemployment is a simple matter of losing income. A study by Massachusetts University professor Ofer Sharone found that most participants saw their “ability to land a job as a personal reflection of their self-worth rather than an arbitrary matter.” Meaning that rejection from the job market can prod people to throw in the towel and give up on the pursuit completely. This, the author suggests, can help explain why many US citizens who lost their jobs in the 2008 recession never returned to the market despite improving conditions.

The challenge with sociology though, and probably why states continue to base their plans on economics, is translating such research findings into actual workable policy. “It may be true that these lessons on identity and community don’t lend themselves immediately to policy white papers and five-point plans, but a deeper understanding of them sure could help policy makers.”