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Research

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Fact of the day

The ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin Institute for the Economy and the Future of Work (RFBerlin) engages in research designed to raise the standard of public debate and create the best possible basis for policy making.

Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
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Migration & Global Collaboration
Migration & Global Collaboration
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CReAM @ RFBerlin
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
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Discussion papers

No. 43/26 - February 2026

Reconciling Estimates of the Long-Term Earnings Effect of Fertility

Simon Bensnes, Ingrid Huitfeldt, Edwin Leuven

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No. 42/26 - February 2026

The Class Gap in Career Progression: Evidence from US academia

Anna Stansbury, Kyra Rodriguez

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No. 41/26 - February 2026

Worker Responses to Immigration Across Firms: Evidence from Colombia

Lukas Delgado-Prieto

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No. 40/26 - February 2026

Managers and the Cultural Transmission of Gender Norms

Virginia Minni, Kieu-Trang Nguyen, Heather Sarsons, Carla Srebot

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Research Insights

Concise, research-based articles for scholars,
policymakers, and anyone curious about the world.

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No. 1/26 - January 2026

From Steam Power to Artificial Intelligence: What the Past Can Teach Us About the Future of Work

Regional inequalities remain a central issue in public and policy debates. Where do such disparities originate? And what policies can reduce them? A new study traces these inequalities back to the introduction of a transformative technology: the steam engine.

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No. 5/25 - December 2025

Immigration, Jobs and Wages: Separating Regional and Worker Effects

How does immigration affect jobs and wages? Public debates often conflate regional labour market outcomes with the experiences of individual workers. The effects of immigration on “places” and “people” may differ considerably.

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No. 6/25 - December 2025

Migration, Beschäftigung und Löhne: Regionale und individuelle Effekte

Wie wirkt sich Migration auf Arbeitsplätze und Löhne aus? In öffentlichen Debatten werden Effekte auf regionale Arbeitsmärkte häufig mit den individuellen Erfahrungen von Arbeitnehmern vermischt. Die Studie macht deutlich, dass die Effekte der Immigration auf Regionen und auf beschäftigte Arbeitnehmer sehr unterschiedlich sein können.

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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

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Press

21 Jan 2026

From Steam to AI: RFBerlin Research Featured in Media
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Press release

15 Jan 2026

The steam engine still drives the German economy – Lessons for the introduction of artificial intelligence
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Press

27 Dec 2025 • DIE ZEIT

Claudia Goldin on Why Pay Transparency Alone Is Not Enough
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Press release

16 Dec 2025

Do Immigrants Take Natives’ Jobs? New Study Shows the Answer Depends on How You Measure It
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Tweets by @RF_Berlin

rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
10h

What a busy year! 2025 was packed with events for RFBerlin.

Our highlights:

✨ RFBerlin Annual Public Lecture by Nobel Laureate @PikaGoldin
📊 RFBerlin & @cepr_org Annual Symposium in Labour Economics
🌍 RFBerlin Migration Forum 2025
📈 RFBerlin & @CReAM_Research

Reply on Twitter 2019373281212547441 Retweet on Twitter 2019373281212547441 Like on Twitter 2019373281212547441 3
rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
11h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@jamesfeigenbaum, @YiJuHung1, Marco Tabellini & Monia Tomasella study the 1920s US Quota Acts restricting immigration. Learn more about implications for natives’ social mobility!
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26037.pdf

Reply on Twitter 2019352276884942954 Retweet on Twitter 2019352276884942954 Like on Twitter 2019352276884942954 1
rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
11h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@AhmetGulekk shows that child penalties vary sharply across occupations in the US. Why does parenthood affect some careers more than others?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26036.pdf

Reply on Twitter 2019352208010072484 Retweet on Twitter 2019352208010072484 Like on Twitter 2019352208010072484 1
rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
11h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
Ozkan Eren, @ProfHjalmarsson & @orgul_ozturk examine how judge–defendant gender match affects juvenile sanctions and long-run outcomes. Find out more:
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26035.pdf

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Upcoming events

RFBerlin hosts a wide array of events aimed at fostering academic research and collaboration.

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

27 February 2026

Philip Oreopoulos (University of Toronto)

TBA

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RFBerlin Masterclass

12 Mar – 13 Mar 2026

“Tasks At Work: Comparative Advantage, Technology and Labor Demand” by Fredric Kong

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RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

13 March 2026

Fredric Kong (MIT)

TBA

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Handbook of Labor Economics – Chapter Previews

In anticipation of the upcoming Handbook of Labor Economics, we offer early access to select chapters through our Discussion Papers series. Following our 2023 conference on this new edition, first chapters are now available for preview, featuring insights from leading research in economics and labor.

Preview Chapters
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