We conduct independent research into significant challenges to the economy, society and the welfare state in a global world.

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Research

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
Migration & Global Collaboration
Migration & Global Collaboration
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
Technology, Trade & Human Capital

Discussion papers

No. 51/26 - February 2026

Using distributional random forests for the analysis of the income distribution

Martin Biewen, Stefan Glaisner, Simon Zeller

No. 50/26 - February 2026

Classrooms as Workplaces: How Student Composition Affects Teacher Health

Krzysztof Karbownik, Helena Svaleryd, Jonas Vlachos, Xuemeng Wang

No. 49/26 - February 2026

Extractive Taxation and the French Revolution

Tommaso Giommoni, Gabriel Loumeau, Marco Tabellini

No. 48/26 - February 2026

Host Country Language and School Integration of Immigrant Students

Yu Qin, Michael Vlassopoulos, Jackline Wahba

Research Insights

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

No. 3/26 - February 2026

Why Some Refugees Struggle to Work: The Role of Early Signs of PTSD

Refugees often have lower employment rates than natives and other migrants. One important reason may be exposure to severe trauma, which can affect how people function in daily life and make it harder to find and keep a job.

Learn more

No. 2/26 - February 2026

Too Old to Apply for a Job? How Age Limits in Job Ads Shape Who Applies

As populations age, keeping people in work later in life has become an economic necessity. Yet many older job seekers still face substantial barriers to reemployment.

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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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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

Press release

17 Feb 2026

Trauma is a major barrier to refugees’ employment, new study finds
View article
Press

21 Jan 2026

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

15 Jan 2026

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

27 Dec 2025 • DIE ZEIT

Claudia Goldin on Why Pay Transparency Alone Is Not Enough
View article

Tweets by @RF_Berlin

If you’re a bachelor or master in economics, statistics, or data science, this is for you!
RFBerlin is looking for a Research Assistant to work on a research project that evaluates a collective bargaining reform using Danish data.
👉

#EconJobs

New Discussion Paper from RFBerlin! Fredrik Heyman and Martin Olsson explore the long-run effects of automation on intergenerational mobility. The paper connects technological change to long-term opportunity structures.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/26047.pdf

New Discussion Paper from RFBerlin! @akborgbjerg, @HansSigaard, and @MichaelSvarer study how delayed retirement affects health and healthcare use. What are the implications for ageing societies?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26046.pdf

New Discussion Paper from RFBerlin! @WarnLekfuangfu and @profgracelordan analyze whether gender matters in peer-to-peer career advice. Their results shed light on differences in guidance and perception.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26045.pdf

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 (cancelled)

cancelled

RFBerlin Masterclass

12 Mar – 13 Mar 2026

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

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

13 March 2026

Fredric Kong (MIT)

TBA

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.

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