headshot of Rucker Johnson

Research Expertise and Interest

labor and employment, race, poverty, inequality, economics of education, health disparities, social welfare policy

Research Description

Rucker C. Johnson is the Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy in the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and faculty research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.  As a labor economist who specializes in the economics of education, Johnson’s work considers the role of poverty and inequality in affecting life chances.

Johnson was one of 35 scholars to receive the prestigious 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. His research has appeared in leading academic journals, featured in mainstream media outlets, and he has been invited to give policy briefings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. He is the author of the book Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works.

Johnson is committed to advance his scholarly agenda of fusing insights from multiple disciplinary perspectives to improve our understanding of the causes, consequences, and remedies of inequality in this country. Johnson earned his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan. At UC-Berkeley (2004-present), he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in applied econometrics and topical courses in race, poverty & inequality.

In the News

Six faculty elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Six UC Berkeley faculty members and top scholars have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), a 241-year-old organization honoring the country’s most accomplished artists, scholars, scientists and leaders who help solve the world’s most urgent challenges.

UC Berkeley education economist honored by academic academy

In recognition of “contributions that advance science and deepen public understanding of human behavior and social dynamics,” Rucker Johnson, the Chancellor’s Professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy, has been named a fellow in the 2021 class of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS).

Rucker Johnson elected to National Academy of Education

Rucker Johnson, Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy, has been elected to the National Academy of Education.  Professor Johnson is a labor economist who specializes in the economics of education, with an emphasis on the role of poverty and inequality in affecting life chances.

Featured in the Media

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.
March 10, 2021

Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Increase by Nearly 150% in 2020, Mostly in N.Y. and L.A., New Study Reports

NBC News
Kimmy Yam
An analysis of police department statistics has revealed that the United States experienced a significant hike in anti-Asian hate crimes last year across major cities. According to the study, former President Donald Trump's wielding of the fact that the coronavirus originated in China and repeated elevation of the "China virus" rhetoric did play a part in fostering hate. "Research suggests that when people see Asian Americans as being more 'foreign,' they are more likely to express hostility toward them and engage in acts of violence and discrimination," said Rucker Johnson, a public policy professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-author of the study.
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September 30, 2020

Anti-Asian Bias Rose After Media, Officials Used 'China Virus,' Report Shows

NBC News
Kimmy Yam
A recent study shows that rampant use of the "China virus" to refer to the coronavirus, particularly by conservative outlets, had a profound impact on how those in the United States see Asian Americans. "Research suggests that when people see Asian Americans as being more 'foreign,' they are more likely to express hostility toward them and engage in acts of violence and discrimination," said Rucker Johnson, a public policy professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-author of the study.
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