Joseph Ferrie

Joseph Ferrie is a Professor of Economics at Northwestern University's Department of History, affiliated with the Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1992) and is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research focuses on economic history, particularly intergenerational mobility, historical labor markets, and the application of longitudinal data to study socioeconomic outcomes.

His work utilizes micro-level datasets including census manuscripts, ship records, and tax lists to compare mobility trends across Britain, the U.S., and France from the 19th century to the present. Key themes include the impact of early-life conditions on later life outcomes, rural-to-urban migration patterns, and the historical political economy of labor markets.

Recent studies highlight topics such as the long-term effects of the 1918 influenza pandemic, childhood lead exposure on cognitive decline, and the role of public policies like the Lanham Act childcare programs during WWII. Ferrie’s methodologies emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, combining historical demography with econometric analysis.

He has contributed to debates on declining intergenerational mobility in the U.S. since the 1850s and the multigenerational transmission of socioeconomic status. His research bridges economic history with contemporary issues such as health disparities, public policy impacts, and the legacy of historical institutions.