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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. 48/26 - February 2026

Host Country Language and School Integration of Immigrant Students

Yu Qin, Michael Vlassopoulos, Jackline Wahba

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No. 47/26 - February 2026

Long–Run Effects of Technological Change: The Impact of Automation on Intergenerational Mobility

Martin Olsson, Fredrik Heyman

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No. 46/26 - February 2026

Delayed Retirement: Effects on Health and Healthcare Utilization

Rune Vejlin, Hans Sigaard, Michael Svarer, Anne Katrine Borgbjerg

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No. 45/26 - February 2026

Stephen versus Stephanie? Does Gender Matter for Peer-to-Peer Career Advice

Warn N. Lekfuangfu, Grace Lordan

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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 ·
17h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@VirginiaMinni, Kieu-Trang Nguyen, Heather Sarsons & @CarlaSrebot show how managers transmit gender norms at work. Who sets the norms inside firms?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26040.pdf

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rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
17h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@FenellaCarpena & Simon Galle study how technical change affects workers across occupations. The mechanisms behind adjustment matter.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26039.pdf

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rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
17h

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
Jim Albrecht, Per-Anders Edin, Raquel Fernandez, Jiwon Lee, Peter Skogman Thoursie & Susan Vroman analyze how parental leave shapes norms. Can policy change culture as well as behavior?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26038.pdf

Reply on Twitter 2021538763931844848 Retweet on Twitter 2021538763931844848 1 Like on Twitter 2021538763931844848
rf_berlin ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·
6 Feb

In 2025, the RFBerlin Network grew to 30+ countries across four continents, producing insights that incorporated data from 80+ nations into research that shapes policy worldwide. #GlobalFamily 🌍

Read more about the RFBerlin network here: https://www.rfberlin.com/fellows/

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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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