Intergenerational Transmission

1

• Intergenerational Transmission
• of Religion
• An Economic Analysis
• byCarmel U. ChiswickUniversity of Illinois at
  Chicago
• and
• IZA

2
Overview

• Demand for Religious Education
• A human capital model
• Religion and Society
• Some policy implications

3
A Positive Economics of Religion

• Religion is a z-good with utility-generating
  attributes.
• Religion-specific human capital raises
  productivity in religious activity
• skills, experiences and memories
• specific to a particular religion
• Religious education is anything that increases
  religious human capital
• in the family, the religious community, and in
  religious training.

4
Modeling Religious Education
Max Ui U (R, Y) s.t. LR LY LRS LYS
L
R g(LR, hR) Y f(LY, hY ) LYS f (hY
) LRS ? (hR) - ? hR hY

• LR Time spent on Religious activities
• LY Time spent on other consumption
• hR Religion-specific human capital
• hY General human capital
• L total time constraint
• LRS Religious education (experience,
  socialization)
• LYS General education

5
Derived Demand for Human Capital
Other Human Capital
Religious Human Capital
6
Derived Demand for Religious Human
CapitalStrong Preference for Religion
Other Human Capital
Religious Human Capital
7
Derived Demand for Religious Human Capital
Weak Preference for Religion
Other Human Capital
Religious Human Capital
8
Derived Demand for Religious Human CapitalNo
Externalities
Other Human Capital
Religious Human Capital
9
Amount of Religious Education

• Different religions have different critical
  minimum education requirements
• hR minimum required for religious
  participation
• hR lt hR -gt marginally attached or lapsed
  members

10
Intergenerational Transmission of ReligionNo
Externalities
Other Human Capital
Marginal Religious Attach-ment
Religious Adherents
Religious Human Capital
hR
11
Levels of Basic Education

• Critical minimum for participation in the general
  society
• Labor force
• Civic life
• Shared society and culture
• hY minimum required for acculturation
• hY lt hY -gt not effective participant

12
Acculturation of Religious GroupsNo Externalities
Other Human Capital
Mainstream Religious Groups
hY
Separatist Religious Groups
Religious Human Capital
13
Acculturation and Religious Human CapitalNo
Externalities
Other Human Capital
Mainstream Religious Groups
Other Main-stream
hY
Under-class ?
Separatist Religious Groups
Religious Human Capital
hR
14
Potential Externalities between Religious and
Other Education

• Language
• Individualism
• Intellectual, cultural and social life
• Family structure (marriage, childrearing)
• Food, music, art
• Occupations
• Political Interests (concerns, participation)

15
Education Externalities

• Negative interactions (? lt 0)
• Religious values, attitudes, etc. conflict with
  the larger society
• Religious educational methods conflict with
  general education methods
• Positive interactions (? gt 0)
• Religious and mainstream values compatible
• Religious and general education mutually
  reinforcing

16
Derived Demand for Religious Human
CapitalNegative Externalities
Other Human Capital
Mainstream Religious Groups
hY
Religious Human Capital
hR
17
Derived Demand for Religious Human
CapitalPositive Externalities
Other Human Capital
Mainstream Religious Groups
hY
Religious Human Capital
hR
18
Benefits of Religious Dominance

• Positive externalities reduce the cost of
  religious education
• Incentive to influence general society
• Incentive for Religious politics
• Difficulty adjusting to minority status (the cost
  of pluralism)

19
Costs of Religious Dominance

• Negative externalities imposed on others
• If not, no domination is involved
• Indirect costs affect dominant group
• Increased number and size of separatist groups
• Increased disaffection of separatist groups

20
Policy Implication

• Religious Politics have costs and benefits.
• Some consensus required for social cohesion.
• Some latitude required for social cohesion.
• Optimal balance in a pluralistic society
• Society accepts religious diversity
• Religious groups adapt to minority status