Katharine G. Abraham

Methodist University, National Bureau of Economic Research

Papers

Total Citations

198

H-Index

About

Katharine G. Abraham is a leading labor economist whose research has fundamentally shaped our understanding of U.S. labor market dynamics. Her key research areas include employment trends, labor force participation, and the measurement of economic activity. Abraham’s most influential work examines the structural decline in the U.S. employment-to-population ratio, particularly in her highly cited 2020 paper (141 citations) and its 2018 precursor (57 citations). These studies meticulously document how population aging, rather than cyclical factors, has been the primary driver of declining employment rates between 1999 and 2018, offering a critical framework for policymakers. Beyond this, Abraham has made seminal contributions to the construction and interpretation of economic statistics, including the Consumer Price Index and unemployment measures. A former Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, her work bridges rigorous empirical analysis with real-world policy relevance. For students and researchers, Abraham’s research is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the long-run forces reshaping the American workforce.