David Dorn

According to research by UBS Foundation Professor @ProfDavidDorn and co-authors, import tariffs had no significant positive effects on employment or income in connection with Donald Trump's first term. ubscenter.uzh.ch/en/news_events… #EconomicsForSociety #UZH #shareUBS

Join my outstanding research team @UZH_ch in Zurich as a #predoc research associate in summer 2026! We conduct empirical analyses of labor markets, globalization, technology and politics. More info and link to application: ddorn.net @econ_ra @predoc_org

An unusual Christmas theme from CEPR 🎄😅

@MITSloan 2/ Next in EG's top 2025 stories at 9⃣: @davidautor @ProfDavidDorn & @gordon_h_hanson discuss how the China trade shock of the early 2000s "reshaped political behavior, as declining job prospects & foregone mobility fueled a bitter electoral response." equitablegrowth.org/how-the-china-…

More and more wealth is passed down across generations. Yet, many countries have reduced inheritance taxes. What drove this trend? What are the consequences of reversing it? Don't miss my conversation later today with @Marius_Brulhart who knows more about this than anyone else!

“I’m convinced that AI will not lead to mass unemployment. Some occupations may lose relevance, but new fields will emerge, just as in earlier technological revolutions.” @ProfDavidDorn via @tagesanzeiger tagesanzeiger.ch/ai-bedrohung-o… #EconomicsinSociety #UZH #shareUBS

A great thanks to my colleagues @Florian_Scheuer and Ernst Fehr who worked tirelessly over the last months to make these outstanding hires possible 👏

Join my outstanding research team @UZH_ch in Zurich as a #predoc research associate in early 2026! We conduct empirical analyses of labor markets, globalization, technology and politics. More info and link to application: ddorn.net @econ_ra @predoc_org

"Ronald Reagan wanted the government to stay out of the economy. Under Donald Trump, the opposite is happening." – @ProfDavidDorn ubscenter.uzh.ch/en/news_events… This interview by @meierj8 & @LH_Honegger was originally published in @NZZ. #EconomicsForSociety #UZH #shareUBS

Wohin steuert die USA mit ihrer Zoll- und Wirtschaftspolitik? Meine Antworten im Interview der @NZZ

In their #EGEssaySeries piece, @davidautor, @ProfDavidDorn and @gordon_h_hanson break down the China trade shock of the early 2000s, its impacts on manufacturing and labor, and how it shaped U.S. political preferences and electoral results. Learn more ⬇️ equitablegrowth.org/how-the-china-…

“Jobs also shape personal identity and social connections, as people spend a significant portion of their lives in the workplace.” – UBS Foundation Professor David Dorn ubscenter.uzh.ch/en/news_events… David Dorn explores how globalization and automation have shaped labor markets, revealing the lasting impact of trade shocks, especially in regions exposed to Chinese imports. His research highlights the connection between economic shifts and broader societal issues, such as political polarization and social inequalities. Our latest UBS Center Public Paper brings together leading voices in economics. From inequality to AI, from climate to democracy – discover ideas that drive progress. Published as a special issue honoring Kaspar Villiger’s legacy of fostering dialogue between research and society. #EconomicsForSociety #UZH #shareUBS

Trade with China in 2000s led to job losses in U.S. manufacturing, but local economies rebounded with growth in non-manufacturing sectors. Our research feature looks at new work from @davidautor, @ProfDavidDorn, @gordon_h_hanson, + Maggie Jones bit.ly/4muNB5N

Join my outstanding research team in Zurich as a #predoc research associate! We conduct empirical analyses of labor markets, globalization, technology and politics. More info and link to application: 🔗ddorn.net @econ_ra @predoc_org @econ_uzh

"The China trade shock accounts for approximately one-quarter of the decline in manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2007." More from @davidautor @ProfDavidDorn and @gordon_h_hanson on how the China trade shock affected U.S. politics ⬇️ #EssaySeries 🔗: equitablegrowth.org/how-the-china-…

🆕🔥 "Multidimensional Skills on LinkedIn Profiles: Measuring Human Capital and the Gender Skill Gap" w/ @ProfDavidDorn, @florian_schoner, @SeebacherMoritz & @thelisaksimon ifo.de/sites/default/… 🚀Skills from 9M LinkedIn profiles explain important labor-market patterns! 1/🧵

As the U.S. ramps up tariffs on Chinese goods once again, the debate over trade policy has taken center stage — and one name keeps surfacing across leading publications: UBS Foundation Professor @ProfDavidDorn. Dorn, along with co-authors @davidautor and @gordon_h_hanson, published a landmark 2013 study on the 'China Shock', showing how a surge in Chinese imports profoundly disrupted U.S. manufacturing communities. Their research documented long-lasting job losses, wage declines, and social strain — particularly in regions most exposed to import competition. Over the past week, @nytimes, @WSJ, @washingtonpost, @AJEnglish, and @voxdotcom revisited Dorn’s work in the context of the new tariff policies: ⭐️ NYT and WSJ questioned whether tariffs can truly reverse decades of economic transformation. Both highlight the risk of retaliation, rising prices, and further global instability. ⭐️ Al Jazeera underscored that lost jobs won’t simply return — pointing to technological change and supply chain complexity. ⭐️ Washington Post noted the ideological pivot from free trade to protectionism and warned of long-term consequences. ⭐️ Vox offered a crucial clarification: Dorn’s research diagnoses the problem but doesn’t prescribe tariffs as the solution. Instead, it calls for policy responses that support displaced workers — retraining, education, and social safety nets. The takeaway? Understanding the nuanced findings of Dorn’s research is key. Protectionist policies may appeal politically, but they risk ignoring the complex, structural shifts in the global economy that his work so clearly maps out. In a time of rising populism and shifting economic alliances, Dorn’s work reminds us of the importance of evidence-based policymaking. Let’s not confuse diagnosis with cure. #EconomicsForSociety #UZH #shareUBS

@sarahmgertler @BarnardCollege @Columbia @MITEcon @NewYorkFed @DartmouthEcon Congratulations!

I am so happy to share that I’ll be an Assistant Professor @BarnardCollege as part of the research community @Columbia . I am so grateful for all the support I have received throughout this process -- @MITEcon @NewYorkFed @DartmouthEcon -- thank you 🩵. I’m very lucky 😃🍀🗽

Globalization and automation have caused manufacturing job loss in some labor markets. @davidautor, @ProfDavidDorn, @gordon_h_hanson, Maggie R. Jones, & Bradley Seltzer consider, Who leaves? Who arrives? How does industry composition evolve? bit.ly/4ignTyN

New Institute working paper looks at how workers and regions most affected by the China trade shock had responded through 2019. The findings: trade-exposed places experience a jobs recovery from workers moving in, but trade-exposed workers do not. bit.ly/4ignTyN