Björn A. Gustafsson is senior professor at the department of Social Work, Göteborg University. He received his Ph.D. in economics in 1979 at the same university. Previously he was a senior lecturer in public economics at University College at Örebro. Gustafsson has been commissioned by many public authorities to write special reports or contribute to special reports.

Gustafsson's present research covers empirical studies on social assistance, poverty, the distribution of income and immigrants /ethnic minotiries. He has been involved in various comparative studies. One of his research interest the distribution of income and poverty in China.

Gustafsson has published in many journals including Ageing and Society, American Sociological Review, Asian Economic Journal, Cambridge Journal of Economics, China Quarterly, China Economic Review, Economic Development and Cultural Change, Economics of Transition, European Economic Review, European Journal of Social Work, European Review of Economic History, International Journal of Manpower, International Journal of Social Welfare, Journal of Asian Economics, Journal of Comparative Economics, Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of International Development, Journal of Population Economics, Labour, Review of Income and Wealth, Scandinavian Journal of Economics and The Developing Economies.

Björn Gustafsson joined IZA as a Research Fellow in October 1999.