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Commentary

Watch exclusive video from conferences, debates and other events on labor market economics as well as reading the latest opinion pieces from IZA World of Labor authors.

February 22, 2021

Brad J. Hershbein, Harry J. Holzer

Covid-19’s impacts on the US labor market

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted US labor markets more severely and more quickly than at any point in living memory.
February 08, 2021

Timothy Harris, Aaron Yelowitz, Charles Courtemanche

The impact of Covid-19 on the life insurance market was minimal

Widespread vaccine availability will emerge in 2021, with a priority on the most vulnerable, mitigating losses in human life and suggesting that insurers’ failure to raise prices implied an accurate forecast of mortality risks.
February 01, 2021

Daniel S. Hamermesh

Labor issues in the Biden administration

A few things can and will be enacted that will go a short way to improving the position of workers in the US.
January 18, 2021

Cevat Giray Aksoy, Barry Eichengreen, Orkun Saka

Exposure to epidemics and trust in scientists

Distrust of scientific experts is a problem, one that will be even more acute post Covid-19.

Inequality and informality in transition and emerging countries: Roberto Dell'Anno and Dan Hamermesh

Inequality and informality in transition and emerging countries: Roberto Dell'Anno and Dan Hamermesh

Higher inequality decreases capital accumulation and increases informality, which, in turn, raises the income of the poor, says Roberto Dell'Anno. This video addresses the following questions:

- What is the relationship between inequality and informality?
- Is the effect of informality on a country’s economy only negative?
- Are there any public policies (that you know of) that have successfully reduced informality and inequality within a certain country?
- Is there any new evidence, or any statistics on the impact Covid-19 has had on inequality in transition and emerging countries?

Read Roberto Dell'Anno's article Inequality and informality in transition and emerging countries
Consult our key topic page on economic inequality.
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Automation and the future of jobs: Stijn Broecke in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

Automation and the future of jobs: Stijn Broecke in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

Policies to address automation should focus on skills alongside reform of labor market institutions, says Stijn Broecke. The questions discussed in this video include:

- Which jobs/occupations have been automated out of existence over the past decade?
- What has happened to those workers who have lost jobs because of automation?
- Which jobs/occupations do you think are most likely to be automated out of existence over the next decade?
- How do you think the pandemic will affect the rate and direction of automation over the next 12 months?

Read Stijn Broecke's article Do skills matter for wage inequality?
Consult our key topic page on economic inequality.
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Income inequality and social origins: Lorenzo Cappellari in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

Income inequality and social origins: Lorenzo Cappellari in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

In this video Lorenzo Cappellari and Daniel S Hamermesh discuss the relationship between income inequality and intergenerational mobility. Other questions include:

- Do developed economies provide their citizens with equal opportunities for achieving economic success?
- What are some ways/policies that can foster intergenerational mobility?
- Covid-19 has brought the already pressing problem of income inequality to heightened prominence. What can governments do about it?

Read Lorenzo Cappellari's article Income inequality and social origins.
Consult our key topic page on economic inequality.
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Lorenzo Cappellari's research interests are in the field of empirical labour economics, in particular earnings and income dynamics, intergenerational mobility, education, applied microeconometrics.
Measuring income inequality: Ija Trapeznikova in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

Measuring income inequality: Ija Trapeznikova in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh

Summary measures of inequality differ from one another and give different pictures of the evolution of economic inequality over time. In this video Daniel S Hamermesh asks how economic inequality is measured. How has inequality evolved over time? And is it possible to compare levels of income inequality internationally?

Read Ija Trapeznikova's article Measuring income inequality.
Consult our key topic page on economic inequality.

Dr. Trapeznikova's research interests include labor economics, with an emphasis on macroeconomic aspects of the labor market, and the economics of education.
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