Assoc. Prof. Osman Akgül is an Associate Professor in the Department of Labor Economics and Industrial Relations within the Faculty of Economics at Istanbul University, a position he has held since 2012. A dedicated economist and social scientist, he began his academic journey at Istanbul University, where he completed his undergraduate studies in Economics in 2010. He subsequently earned his Master’s degree in Labor Economics in 2014, followed by a Doctorate in Labor Economics and Industrial Relations in 2018 from the same institution. His doctoral research specifically focused on the impact of post-1980 economic policies on wage levels in Turkey.
Research Focus & Expertise
Dr. Akgül’s extensive body of research lies at the intersection of Economic Policy, Labor Economics, and Social Policy. His key areas of specialization include:
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Wage Dynamics & Inequality: Deeply exploring minimum wage structures, the wage-price spiral, productivity, and income distribution.
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Youth Employment & Education: Investigating the socio-economic profiles and institutional strategies for young individuals classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) in Turkey.
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Vulnerable & Disadvantaged Groups: Designing inclusive labor models and evaluating social policies regarding the employment of disabled individuals, international students, and migrants.
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Macroeconomics & Technological Impact: Analyzing how technological transfers and digital progression influence unemployment and broader labor frameworks.
Publications & Academic Contributions
An active contributor to the academic literature, Dr. Akgül has authored and co-authored over 30 publications, including peer-reviewed articles in prestigious, indexed journals (including SSCI, SCI-Expanded, ESCI, and Scopus) and specialized books. His prominent books and edited volumes include Ücretler ve Verimlilik (2025) , Sosyal Politikada Ücretler: Enflasyon, Dışa Açıklık ve Türkiye (2019), and Türkiye’de Eğitim, İstihdam ve Yetiştirmede Olmayan Gençler (2021).
Funded Projects & Fieldwork
Dr. Akgül has consistently translated his theoretical expertise into policy-driven field applications. He has spearheaded and collaborated on projects funded by national and international bodies, including an EU IPA Project focused on strengthening NEET youth toward digital professions , a profile research project backed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and local administration social policy modeling for the Esenler District in Istanbul.
Beyond his core academic duties, he leverages his knowledge of civil society and non-academic leadership, having previously served as Vice President of the Federation of International Student Associations (UDEF). He operates comfortably in multilingual academic settings, working fluently in English alongside his native Turkish