White malaise has been grabbing headlines, but in an evolving American economy, black workers are actually at greater risk of getting left behind.

That’s one of the main insights in a new Kansas City Federal Reserve research paper, and it’s the top item in this week’s economic roundup. We also look at sticky underemployment in Germany, the divide in for-profit college educations, and the market aftershocks of Brexit. Check this column every Tuesday for the latest in interesting or influential research from around the world. 

Job polarization hurts black workers more

The decline of middle-skill employment and uptrend in low- and high-skill jobs has affected black workers in the U.S. more than their white counterparts, research from the Kansas City Fed shows. The logic is simple: black people are less likely to graduate from college, and bachelor’s degrees have become more necessary for high-skill jobs.

In fact, while 39 percent of white