Dr Fari Aftab

I am an applied economist interested in how work, health and social circumstances shape people’s opportunities and wellbeing. My research examines inequalities in employment, job quality and living standards, with particular attention to disability, maternal employment and immigrant integration. Across these areas, I explore how policy and workplace practices can support fuller participation in economic and social life.

I am currently a Research Associate at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, working with the Wales Productivity Forum. My research at Cardiff focuses on disability, job quality, labour market outcomes and productivity, using longitudinal survey data and applied econometric methods.

Across my wider research, I combine quantitative and qualitative approaches, drawing on Understanding Society, the British Social Attitudes Survey and the Financial Lives Survey, alongside primary surveys and qualitative interviews. This allows me to examine patterns of inequality while considering the experiences and circumstances behind them.

My research has been published in the Journal of Population Economics, Frontiers in Sociology, Societies and Welsh Economic Review. Current projects examine disability and job quality, breastfeeding and return to paid work, workplace constraints and inequalities in financial outcomes.

Making research accessible and useful beyond academia is central to my work. I have contributed to the Wales Productivity Toolkit and the WORKFEED Employer Toolkit, helping translate research findings into practical guidance for businesses and employers. I also write research blogs exploring the implications of economic evidence for policy and everyday life.

Alongside my research, I have taught economics and quantitative methods and convened undergraduate modules. This website brings together my publications, current projects, teaching experience and public engagement.