This paper provides an introduction and overview of my research on the Economics of Language. The approach is that language skills among immigrants and native-born linguistic minorities are a form of human capital. There are costs and benefits associated with this characteristic embodied in the...

This paper analyzes the impact of IRCA 1986, a U.S. amnesty, on immigrants’human capital development and labor market outcomes. Because of IRCA, the 1975-1981 arrivals were all legalized by 1990. However, many of the 1982-1986 arrivalsremained illegal. Using the California Latino immigrants in...

The career prospects of newly recruited employees differ substantially within an organization.The stars experience a considerable growth in earnings; others can hardly maintain theirentry salaries. This article sheds light on the mechanisms generating the observedheterogeneity in earnings...

This paper investigates relative or absolute happiness.

One theory for why there is a strong education gradient in health outcomes is that more educated individuals more quickly absorb new information about health technology. The MMR controversy in the UK provides a case where, for a brief period of time, some highly publicized research suggested...

Research on self-employment has increased during recent years and particular attention has been paid to self-employment dynamics and the factors influencing entry and exit rates from self-employment. Using a large panel data set for Sweden, this paper investigates variations in recruitment to...