The paper explores the evolution of ethnic identities of two important and distinct immigrant religious groups. Using data from Germany, a large European country with many immigrants, we study the adaptation processes of Muslims and Christians. Individual data on language, culture, societal...

This paper models the tradeoffs between education in secular subjects, formal and informal, and the formation of religion-specific human capital. It explores some implications of negative externalities between religious and secular education. Applications include the tension between science and...

Muslims do less well on the French labor market than their non Muslim counterparts. One explanation for this relative failure can be characterized by the following syllogism: (1) the empowerment of women is a sine qua non for economic progress; (2) in-group norms among Muslims do not empower...

This paper studies whether growing up in an ethnic enclave slows down immigrants’ cultural assimilation. To measure cultural behavior, I rely on individual-level administrative data on drug usage and focus on a culturally charged consumption: the usage of hormonal contraceptives by young...

We study horizontal between-group cultural transmission using a unique historical experiment. During WWII, Stalin deported over 2 million people---mostly Germans and Chechens---to Siberia and Central Asia solely based on their ethnicity. As a result, the native population of the deportation...

Does historical exposure to highly-skilled populations lead to path-dependence in regional development? To answer this question, we study the long-term economic legacy of Armenians and Greeks of the Ottoman Empire using their mass expulsions from Anatolia as a unique natural experiment of...

Since giving to religious organizations constitutes a substantial portion of total charitable giving, an understanding of the determinants of religious giving is a vital policy concern. Drawing on a novel congregation-level panel dataset, we examine whether religious giving is driven by...

For centuries, Jews in Europe have specialized in financial services. At the same time, they have been the victims of historical antisemitism on the part of the Christian majority. We find that present-day financial development is lower in German counties where historical antisemitism was...

Since giving to religious organizations constitutes a substantial portion of total charitable giving, an understanding of the determinants of religious giving is a vital policy concern. Drawing on a novel congregation-level panel dataset, we examine whether religious giving is driven by...

This study examines the effect of formal institutions, specifically constitutional provisions, on minority discrimination in Muslim societies. We hypothesize that those Muslim countries in which (political) Islam constitutes an important constraint in the legislative process experience more...