Seminar in Economics | with Jakob Svensson
Welcome to this seminar in economics organized by the Department of Economics, SSE. The seminar speaker is Jakob Svensson, IIES who will present "Born Again: Experimental Evidence on the Economic and Social Impacts of Religious Renewal"
Abstract
Pentecostal and Evangelical Christianity is among the fastest-growing global movements, with over 600 million adherents concentrated in the Global South. This paper provides experimental evidence on the economic and social effects of religious renewal through this movement. Partnering with a Pentecostal-Evangelical church in Uganda, we study a common outreach activity designed to encourage new membership. Our experimental design identifies who joins when encouraged and estimates the causal effects of joining. Consistent with a club-good view of religious participation, those induced to join become more religiously engaged and experience substantial gains in social networks and earnings. The effects vary by gender, suggesting distinct pathways through which religious renewal can shape economic and social life.
More about the speaker
The seminar takes place at the Stockholm School of Economics, Bertil Ohlins gata 4. Room A550
Please contact kathrine.abelson@hhs.se if you have any questions.