|
|
IZA Prize in Labor Economics |
|
About the IZA Prize
|
A sound understanding of problems in labor economics has proven ever
more important in light of the adjustment processes that are currently
taking place in the international labor markets. In order to account
for this trend, the Institute for the Study of Labor - with generous
support from the Deutsche Post Foundation - has created the "IZA Prize
in Labor Economics". This annual prize is awarded for outstanding
academic achievement in the field of labor economics. It is meant to
stimulate research that tries to find answers to the important labor
market policy questions of our time. In November 2002 the IZA Prize was awarded for the first time [view all past prize-winners].
More than 700 renowned labor economists are affiliated with IZA through its worldwide network of Research Fellows. These influential economists are entitled to nominate candidates for the prize. The decision will be made by the IZA Prize Committee, which includes distinguished international labor economists as well as IZA representatives. The IZA Prize in Labor Economics underscores the central importance of labor market research in shaping the "Future of Labor." For further information, please contact: prize@iza.org |
IZA Prize 2007 awarded to Richard Freeman
| This 2007 IZA Prize in Labor Economics was awarded to the U.S. economist Richard B. Freeman (Harvard University and London School of Economics), who has made a number of fundamental contributions that have monumentally shaped modern labor economics. The renowned IZA Prize honors Freeman's groundbreaking work on the sustainability of the welfare state and the role of trade unions in the labor market. His highly innovative studies address policy-relevant issues that have important implications for labor market reforms in Germany. The award ceremony was held on November 5, 2007, in Berlin with German Federal President Horst Köhler as the invited speaker (see picture on the right). More information: - Press Release (PDF) - Award Statement (PDF) - Speech by President Köhler (in German) (PDF) - Laudation by IZA Director Zimmermann (PDF) - Video about Richard Freeman (WMV, 55MB) |
|
First book in the IZA Prize Series honors Jacob Mincer
| A new book, the first in the IZA Prize Series published by Oxford University Press, analyzes the work of one of the most important economists of the 20th century: Jacob Mincer, the inaugural recipient of the IZA Prize in Labor Economics. Since 2002 IZA has awarded this prize for outstanding contributions to policy-relevant labor market research and methodological progress in this sub-discipline of economic science. All prize-winners contribute a volume to the IZA Prize Series, which has been established to provide an overview of the laureates’ most significant findings.
This first volume of the IZA Prize Book Series is unique in many respects. It is the first comprehensive account of the lifetime achievement of the great pioneer in labor economics, Jacob Mincer, who won the first IZA Prize in 2002. According to the award statement by the IZA Prize Committee, "Jacob Mincer is the founding father of modern empirical labor economics. His efforts in developing the scientific instruments and methods used by today's economists to analyze the problems and prospects of the working world are almost unparalleled." The complete text of the document is contained in this book. The new volume provides a – long overdue – account of Mincer's influential career. It is authored by the Portuguese economist and IZA Research Fellow Pedro Teixeira, a veritable expert on Mincer and his work. Remarkably, Jacob Mincer was always available to the author for many enlightening discussions that made this exceptional volume possible. Depicting Mincer's varied research activities against the background of an eventful life, this book is a necessity for everyone interested in the development of what has become the standard toolset of today's labor economists. Pedro N. Teixeira: Jacob Mincer: The Founding Father of Modern Labor Economics Oxford University Press, 2007; ISBN 978-3-540-69381-0 [view table of contents] |