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Pinar M Gunes

University of Alberta, Canada, and IZA, Germany

IZA World of Labor is an effective outlet for disseminating research findings to policymakers, ensuring that they have access to the latest insights. I am excited to be part of this important effort.

IZA World of Labor role

Author

Current position

Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Alberta (2021-present)

Research interest

Labor economics, health economics, development economics

Website

https://pinarmgunes.weebly.com/

Positions/functions as a policy advisor

Consultant, World Bank, Washington DC (2013-2015)

Past positions

Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Alberta (2016-2021)

Qualifications

PhD Applied Economics, University of Mayland, College Park, 2014

Selected publications

  • ​“Socialized Healthcare and Women’s Fertility Decisions.” Journal of Human Resources 53:8 (2023): 1028-1055 (with E. Tekin, R. Cesur,and A.Ulker).

  • “Labor Market Conditions and Adult Health in Mexico." Canadian Journal of Economics 55:1 (2022):106 - 137 (with M. Tsaneva).

  • “Macroeconomic Conditions and Child Schooling Turkey." Labour Economics 63 (2020): 101809 (with B. U. Marchand).

  • “The Value of Socialized Medicine: The Impact of Universal Primary Healthcare Provision on Mortality Rates in Turkey.” Journal of Public Economics 150 (2017): 75-93 (with E. Tekin, R. Cesur, and A. Ulker).

  • "The Role of Maternal Education in Child Health: Evidence from a Compulsory Schooling Law." Economics of Education Review 47 (2015): 1-16.

article(s)

  • Female education and socioeconomic outcomes

    Mothers'primary school completion significantly improves child and infant health and reduces teenage fertility

    Pinar M Gunes, January 2025
    There is a strong link between mothers’ primary school completion (8 or more years of schooling) and better socioeconomic outcomes, such as improved child health and reduced teenage fertility, but establishing causality is challenging. A 1997 compulsory schooling law in Turkey, which extended education from five to eight years, provides a natural experiment to identify causal effects. Empirical evidence suggests that increased female education from such reform significantly improves many socioeconomic outcomes of mothers and their children. While suggested mechanisms include changes in healthcare services utilization and risky pregnancy behaviors, such as smoking, thorough investigation of underlying channels is lacking.
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