The Entrepreneurial Trap

“A vibrant, excellently written, and sociologically rigorous book on student entrepreneurship uniquely informed by Victor Tan Chen and Jesse Goldstein’s interviews and experiences at a ‘non-elite’ university. There is no comparable publication in the field today.”—Martin Ruef, Jack and Pamela Egan Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship, Duke University

“As the American Dream appears increasingly out of reach for students, becoming an ‘entrepreneur’ is being promoted by universities as a savvy alternative to deteriorating options in the labor market. But is it? This deeply researched, insightful, and beautifully written book offers a powerful analysis of the bind faced by many students. An inspired choice for the classroom, it’s also a compelling example of the value of sociology. A ‘must-read,’ and a ‘should teach.’”—Juliet Schor, Professor of Sociology, Boston College

“Through respectful ethnographic engagement with student participants, Chen and Goldstein render a nuanced look at why college entrepreneurship programs can be so alluring and yet often so empty. You have to ask: Is this really the best way to prepare young people for today’s world?”—Julie Guthman, author of The Problem with Solutions: Why Silicon Valley Can’t Hack the Future of Food

“It would be easy to write a book criticizing entrepreneurialism as a shallow concept, reducing higher learning to mere profit making. Chen and Goldstein, however, offer something more profound. The Entrepreneurial Trap dwells in the incredible sadness of late capitalism, exploring its cost to our institutions, our students, and ourselves and demonstrating how good people struggle to survive in its wreckage.”—Isaac Kamola, Professor of Political Science, Trinity College