Why subscribe?

I’m Liya Palagashvili, a labor economist at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. I write Labor Market Matters with my colleague Revana Sharfuddin, a Research Fellow at Mercatus.

Labor markets are changing quickly—driven by technology, demographics, and shifting worker preferences. But the policies meant to govern them often lag behind.

This Substack is about understanding that gap.

We focus on what makes labor markets resilient and dynamic—and how they can still deliver for workers who risk being left behind. That means looking closely at how work is evolving, what the data actually show, and where policy is helping or getting in the way.

Our work combines empirical research with clear, accessible analysis. We unpack new and existing research, explore questions around flexible and independent work, and examine how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping opportunity.

Our perspectives are shaped not just by research, but by experience. Liya brings insights from growing up in a post-Soviet context, where rigid labor institutions constrained opportunity. Revana brings a perspective shaped by a developing-country context, where informality, entrepreneurship, and labor market flexibility are everyday realities. Together, these experiences shape how we think about policy, tradeoffs, and what it really means to support workers.

If you’re interested in a clearer, more grounded understanding of labor markets and labor policy—this is for you.