Alpaslan Akay

Alpaslan Akay is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Gothenburg, where he has been employed since 2013. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Gothenburg (2008), with prior doctoral training at Istanbul University (2005–2008). His research spans behavioral and experimental economics, happiness economics, migration economics, and applied microeconometrics, with a recent focus on positional concerns and teaching pedagogy. He actively collaborates across disciplines and serves as a referee for top journals.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics, University of Gothenburg (2008)
• Master of Mathematical Statistics, Istanbul University
• Bachelor of Economics, Istanbul University

Research Focus: His work examines positional behavior, immigrant assimilation, and well-being dynamics. Notable areas include the economic impacts of migration, the role of empathy in decision-making, and the interplay of relative income concerns with health and labor market outcomes. He also explores innovative pedagogical strategies in economics education.

Professional Contributions:

• Organized large-scale economics conferences
• Member of high-profile scientific committees
• Referee for leading economics journals

Key Themes in Publications:

• Happiness economics and positional concerns
• Immigrant labor market integration
• Experimental analysis of social behavior
• Policy implications of well-being metrics