Religion, politician identity and development outcomes: Evidence from India

Sonia Bhalotra; Irma Clots-Figueras; Guilhem Cassan; Lakshmi Iyer

doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.006

Religion, politician identity and development outcomes: Evidence from India

Sonia Bhalotra, Irma Clots-Figueras, Guilhem Cassan, Lakshmi Iyer

Centre of Research in the Economics of Development

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper investigates whether the religious identity of state legislators in India influences development outcomes, both for citizens of their religious group and for the population as a whole. Using an instrumental variables approach derived from a regression discontinuity, we find that increasing the political representation of Muslims improves health and education outcomes in the district from which the legislator is elected. We find no evidence of religious favoritism: Muslim children do not benefit more from Muslim political representation than children from other religious groups.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.006
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 14 Oct 2013

Keywords

India
Infant mortality
Muslim
Politician identity
Primary education
Religion

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.006

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268113002345

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title = "Religion, politician identity and development outcomes: Evidence from India",

abstract = "This paper investigates whether the religious identity of state legislators in India influences development outcomes, both for citizens of their religious group and for the population as a whole. Using an instrumental variables approach derived from a regression discontinuity, we find that increasing the political representation of Muslims improves health and education outcomes in the district from which the legislator is elected. We find no evidence of religious favoritism: Muslim children do not benefit more from Muslim political representation than children from other religious groups.",

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author = "Sonia Bhalotra and Irma Clots-Figueras and Guilhem Cassan and Lakshmi Iyer",

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AU - Bhalotra, Sonia

AU - Clots-Figueras, Irma

AU - Cassan, Guilhem

AU - Iyer, Lakshmi

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N2 - This paper investigates whether the religious identity of state legislators in India influences development outcomes, both for citizens of their religious group and for the population as a whole. Using an instrumental variables approach derived from a regression discontinuity, we find that increasing the political representation of Muslims improves health and education outcomes in the district from which the legislator is elected. We find no evidence of religious favoritism: Muslim children do not benefit more from Muslim political representation than children from other religious groups.

AB - This paper investigates whether the religious identity of state legislators in India influences development outcomes, both for citizens of their religious group and for the population as a whole. Using an instrumental variables approach derived from a regression discontinuity, we find that increasing the political representation of Muslims improves health and education outcomes in the district from which the legislator is elected. We find no evidence of religious favoritism: Muslim children do not benefit more from Muslim political representation than children from other religious groups.

KW - India

KW - Infant mortality

KW - Muslim

KW - Politician identity

KW - Primary education

KW - Religion

U2 - 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.006

DO - 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.09.006

M3 - Article

SN - 0167-2681

JO - Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

JF - Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization

ER -

Religion, politician identity and development outcomes: Evidence from India

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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