Her primary research interests are in macroeconomics, with a special focus on family economics and economic growth. More recently, she has explored the impact of family formation on children's human capital development and intergenerational inequality. In addition, she has worked on understanding how political majorities in favor or against the introduction of women’s rights have formed in historical contexts. Prof. Hannusch has also surveyed new trends in fertility decisions of families in advanced economies. She has also analyzed the effects of family benefits and taxation on the labor supply of married couples.
At the University of Bonn, she teaches family economics from a macroeconomic perspective to Ph.D., MSc, and BSc students.