客員ファカルティーにインタビュー！ 第21回
Dr. Cristiano Perugini visited our institute as a CEI visiting faculty member from April 15 to August 8, 2025. He is a Professor of Public Economics in the Department of Economics at University of Perugia. His research focuses on functional and personal income distribution, wage inequality, labor market institutional structures and performance, and gender disparities. We interviewed him about how he became an economist, his research areas, his collaborative work with professors at Hitotsubashi, and his message to the young researchers.
Q. How did you decide to become an economist?
My interest and curiosity in societal and economic issues began to take shape during my teenage years, as I became increasingly aware of the deep social and economic stratification within the society around me. Alongside this growing awareness, I developed a keen interest in politics and a desire to understand the profound transformations taking place in the world I was living in.
The 1980s were an especially compelling decade in Italy -- politically, culturally, socially, and economically. It was a period marked by dynamic change and complexity, which sharpened my interest in how institutions, markets, and communities interact. The final years of my high school education coincided with the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the sweeping institutional upheavals that followed across Europe. These events deeply impressed upon me the impact of political systems on people's lives and broader societal structures.
When the time came to choose my university major, I had no hesitation. I was drawn to the intersection of political institutions, economic development, and socio-economic inequality. My academic path was, from the start, a natural extension of my early intellectual passions and personal reflections.
Q. Could you please explain your research field 'economic measurement' in words that non-academics can understand?
My research focuses on understanding social and economic inequalities -- in other words, why some people or groups have more income, opportunities, or resources than others, and how these change over time. I look at several aspects of this, starting with gender inequality, especially how family conditions and organization can affect employment, careers, and earnings of women and men differently.
I also study how income is allocated -- both between individuals and between workers and companies -- and what factors drive these differences. For example, I explore how companies' pay practices might affect wage gaps or which factors drive the way profits or rents are shared within a firm.
Another part of my research looks at how people's personal characteristics -- like education or background -- influence their income and their preferences for redistribution. Lastly, I analyze how income inequality evolves during major economic transitions, such as when countries move from central planning to market economies.
In short, I try to uncover what shapes inequality and how policy, institutions, and firms can make societies fairer.
Q. What kind of collaborative work have you done in the past with professors at Hitotsubashi?
My collaboration with colleagues at Hitotsubashi University dates back to the mid-2010s, when I first met Professor Kumo at various academic events focused on comparative economics -- a field we both have long been actively engaged in. Following these initial encounters, I was invited for a first research visit, and in 2017 I spent an extended period at Hitotsubashi University, marking my first significant academic stay in Japan.
During that visit, I also had the opportunity to meet Professor Fukao, with whom I soon began a fruitful research collaboration. Since then, joint work with Professors Kumo and Fukao has developed steadily over the years through regular visits to Hitotsubashi University and the pleasure of hosting them at my home institution in Perugia.
Our ongoing cooperation has led to a consistent stream of academic publications, reflecting both our shared research interests and a strong professional rapport. My recent visit marked my second extended stay at Hitotsubashi, and it provided a truly valuable opportunity to finalize several ongoing projects and to initiate promising new lines of research. The intellectual exchange and collaborative spirit that characterize our partnership continue to be a source of deep professional satisfaction.
Q. Could you give a message to the young researchers in the same field?
To young researchers entering the field of inequality studies, I would suggest never losing sight of the human dimension behind the data. Inequality is not just a statistical concept -- it affects people's everyday lives and the structure of our societies.
It can also be helpful to remain open to interdisciplinary perspectives. Fields like economics, sociology, history, and political science each offer useful tools and insights that can enrich your understanding.
Finally, I would encourage trying to approach social and economic questions from the perspective of those who are worse off. This not only deepens your sensitivity to inequality but can also help shape research that speaks more directly to policy needs.
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This time, we conducted our interview in a written form. Thank you, Dr. Perugini, for taking the time to answer our questions in writing. Your interview helped us understand the different aspects of inequality, and showed us how important it is to look at it from various angles. It was also interesting to learn how your collaboration with the professors at our university has grown over time. Your visits to Hitotsubashi have always been our pleasure, and we wish you all the best for your future research!
(Interview answers provided by Dr. Cristiano Perugini on July 29, 2025)
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