Caroline Krafft

Caroline Krafft is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, specializing in development economics with a focus on labor markets, gender inequality, education policy, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). She holds a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Public Policy from the Humphrey School. Prior to joining the faculty in 2022, she taught economics at St. Catherine’s University for nine years.

Her research addresses critical issues such as female labor force participation barriers, early childhood development, and the socio-economic impacts of conflict and displacement in Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and other MENA countries. She has pioneered work on the gendered dimensions of care work, the economic consequences of the pandemic, and policy interventions in education and labor markets. Her methodological contributions include field experiments, large-scale survey designs (e.g., Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey), and community-engaged econometrics training.

Dr. Krafft’s academic interests extend to improving diversity and inclusion in economics education through innovative pedagogical approaches. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles analyzing labor dynamics, social protection systems, and refugee integration. Her work informs policy dialogues on economic empowerment, youth employment, and formalization of informal sectors.

Her recent articles (2022–2025) highlight persistent gender gaps in labor participation, the evolving MENA labor market post-pandemic, and systemic challenges in education quality and social insurance systems. She collaborates with international organizations on projects like the Sudan Labor Market Panel Survey to track socio-economic trends in politically volatile regions.

Despite her prolific output, Dr. Krafft has not yet been awarded major scientific prizes. She advises no named students in the provided materials but actively mentors through research projects and policy initiatives.