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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. 4/26 - January 2026

Life-cycle effects of public childcare: Evidence on children and their parents

Mikko Silliman, Juuso MΓ€kinen

No. 3/26 - January 2026

Anatomy of US Inequality

Oded Galor, Daniel C. Wainstock

No. 2/26 - January 2026

The Minimum Wage And Inequality Between Groups

Francine Blau, Isaac Cohen, Matthew Comey, Lawrence Kahn, Nikolai Boboshko

No. 1/26 - January 2026

Affective Polarization, Media Outlets, and Opinion Dynamics

Sebastiano Della Lena, Luca Paolo Merlino, Yves Zenou

Research Insights

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

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 β€œplaces” and β€œpeople” may differ considerably.

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No. 6/25 - December 2025

Migration, BeschΓ€ftigung und LΓΆhne: Regionale und individuelle Effekte

Wie wirkt sich Migration auf ArbeitsplΓ€tze und LΓΆhne aus? In ΓΆffentlichen Debatten werden Effekte auf regionale ArbeitsmΓ€rkte hΓ€ufig mit den individuellen Erfahrungen von Arbeitnehmern vermischt. Die Studie macht deutlich, dass die Effekte der Immigration auf Regionen und auf beschΓ€ftigte Arbeitnehmer sehr unterschiedlich sein kΓΆnnen.

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No. 4/25 - November 2025

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns

Using data that connect U.S. businesses to foreign financial networks, the researchers reveal how tougher anti–laundering measures abroad reshaped the flow of illicit funds at home.

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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

Press release

16 Dec 2025

Do Immigrants Take Natives’ Jobs? New Study Shows the Answer Depends on How You Measure It
View article
Research Insights

16 Dec 2025

Immigration, Jobs and Wages: Separating Regional and Worker Effects
View article
Press release

17 Nov 2025

Panama Papers: Closing money laundering channels risks fuelling activity in others
Read now
Research Insights

17 Nov 2025

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns
Read now

Tweets by @RF_Berlin

πŸ†• RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@BilgeErten, @JosephEStiglitz & @EricVerhoogen analyze the employment impacts of the CHIPS Act, examining how industrial policy shapes job creation and labor-market adjustment.
πŸ”— https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25166.pdf

πŸ†• RFBerlin Discussion Paper! @massimo_anelli, Paolo Pinotti & @zachporreca link historical Italian migration patterns to the rise of the American Mafia, shedding light on the origins of organized crime in the US. πŸ”— https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25165.pdf

πŸ†• RFBerlin Discussion Paper! @NataliaHEmanuel, @emma_k_h & Amanda Pallais show how physical proximity to coworkersshapes productivity, learning, and collaboration inside firms.
πŸ”— https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25164.pdf

πŸ†•RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
Caitlin Brown & Denni Tommasi examine quality upgrading in street food markets, asking whether better equipment and training alone are enough to improve outcomes for vendors and consumers.
πŸ”— https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25163.pdf

Upcoming events

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

RFBerlin Masterclass

12 Mar – 13 Mar 2026

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

RFBerlin Event

26 Mar – 27 Mar 2026

RFBerlin Migration Forum

Migration: Drivers, Consequences, and Governance

Conference

16 Apr – 17 Apr 2026

Health and Economic Well-Being: Evidence, Policy, and Frontiers

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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