Applied Labour Reading Group

Description:
The Reading Group aims to give PhD students a deeper understanding of current research at the frontier of applied labour economics and related fields in applied microeconomics. The main focus is on recent working papers and newly published papers. Participants should develop familiarity with substantive questions, empirical methods, and research designs, while also using the discussions to generate ideas for their own research. 

Course Structure
Regular sessions are organized around one paper selected in advance. One or two students lead each session by briefly presenting the paper and then guiding the discussion. The presentation should focus on the research question, institutional setting, empirical strategy, main results, and points that are useful for discussion. Papers can be selected from the reading list below, and participants may also suggest closely related recent papers.

The final sessions may be used for participants to pitch research ideas, present early-stage projects, or discuss specific challenges in ongoing work. These sessions are intended to create space for feedback from peers and, where possible, senior researchers.

Topics
The reading list is organized around the following broad topics:

1. Family, Gender, and Demographic Economics
2. Labour Economics, Technology, and Structural Change
3. Health Economics and Labour Markets
4. Migration, Skills, and Spatial Labour Markets
5. International Trade and Consumer Economics
6. Public Economics, Wealth, and Household Finance
7. Economics of Crime and Criminal Justice
8. Econometrics and Empirical Methods

Session Preparation
Participants are expected to read the paper before each meeting and come prepared to discuss it. The student or students leading a session should prepare a short set of slides or discussion notes that summarize the paper and identify questions for the group. The emphasis is on discussion rather than a comprehensive replication of the paper.

Further information on the Reading Group can be found in the syllabus. 

Literature:
Please see the further details in the Reading list.

Time & venue:
Tuesdays, 16:00-18:00 (starting on 13.10.2026 until 09.02.2027); ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin, Gormannstraße 22, Ground Floor, Seminar Room

Enrolment & registration:
Please register via email to Sofia Eigner (sofia.eigner@hu-berlin.de) until October 8, 2026.

More information can be found on Moodle.