Seminar: Culture and Long-Run Development
Lecture number: 800919
Block Seminar: June, 26 and 27, 2026.
Location: tba (Fr) and tba (Sa)
Kickoff Meeting: Apri, 16, 1-2pm (tba)
Application: until .
Registration:
Extra Class: How to write a seminar paper: April, 30, 4-6pm (tba)
Seminar Info: info
Supervision: Dr Johannes Schünemann: email Rocio Castilla: email
Introductory reading for all participants: Alesina, A., & Giuliano, P. (2015). Culture and institutions. Journal of Economic Literature, 53(4), 898-944.
paper
Course material for participants is available at the course material webpage
Themes
1. Long-term Persistence
Reference: Guiso, L., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2016). Long-term persistence. Journal of the European Economic Association, 14(6), 1401-1436.
2. Understanding Cultural Persistence and Change
Reference: Giuliano, P., & Nunn, N. (2021). Understanding cultural persistence and change. The Review of Economic Studies, 88(4), 1541-1581.
3. Culture: Persistence and Evolution
Reference: Giavazzi, F., Petkov, I., & Schiantarelli, F. (2019). Culture: Persistence and Evolution. Journal of Economic Growth, 24(2), 117-154.
4. Culture, Institutions, and the Wealth of Nations
Reference: Gorodnichenko, Y., & Roland, G. (2017). Culture, institutions, and the wealth of nations. Review of Economics and Statistics, 99(3), 402-416.
5. Culture, Ethnicity, and Diversity
Reference: Desmet, K., Ortuno-Ortin, I., & Wacziarg, R. (2017). Culture, Ethnicity, and Diversity. American Economic Review, 107(9), 2479-2513.
6. Long-run Persistence of Trust and Corruption
Reference: Becker, S. O., Boeckh, K., Hainz, C., & Woessmann, L. (2016). The empire is dead, long live the empire! Long-run persistence of trust and corruption in the bureaucracy. Economic Journal, 126(590), 40-74.
7. Global Evidence on Economic Preferences
Reference: Falk, A., Becker, A., Dohmen, T., Enke, B., Huffman, D., & Sunde, U. (2018). Global evidence on economic preferences. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 133(4), 1645-1692.
8. Cultural Differences in Europe
Reference: Alesina, A., Tabellini, G., & Trebbi, F. (2017). Is Europe an Optimal Political Area?. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 169-213.
9. Culture, Context, and the Taste for Redistribution
Reference: Luttmer, E. F., & Singhal, M. (2011). Culture, context, and the taste for redistribution. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 3(1), 157-79.
10. The Effect of Language on Economic Behavior
Reference: Chen, M. K. (2013). The effect of language on economic behavior: Evidence from savings rates, health behaviors, and retirement assets. American Economic Review, 103(2), 690-731.
11. Can policy change culture? Government pension plans and traditional kinship practices
Reference: Bau, N. (2021). Can policy change culture? Government pension plans and traditional kinship practices. American Economic Review, 111(6), 1880-1917.
12. Growing collectivism: Irrigation, group conformity and technological divergence.
Reference: Buggle, J. C. (2020). Growing collectivism: Irrigation, group conformity and technological divergence. Journal of Economic Growth, 25(2), 147-193.
13. The Culture of Honor and Homicide in the US South
Reference: Grosjean, P. (2014). A history of violence: The culture of honor and homicide in the US South. Journal of the European Economic Association, 12(5), 1285-1316.
14. The Slave Trade and the Origins of Mistrust in Africa
Reference: Nunn, N., & Wantchekon, L. (2011). The slave trade and the origins of mistrust in Africa. American Economic Review, 101(7), 3221-52.
15. The Medieval Origins of Anti-Semitic Violence in Nazi Germany
Reference: Voigtländer, N., & Voth, H. J. (2011). Persecution perpetuated: The medieval origins of anti-Semitic violence in Nazi Germany. Quarterly Journal of Economics 127 (2012): 1339-1392