This chapter surveys the recent social science literature on religion in economic history,
covering both socioeconomic causes and consequences of religion. Following the rapidly …

Two theories predominate in discussions of why China and Vietnam have, over the past
three decades, achieved such rapid economic growth. The first argues that their startling …

We investigate the role of national institutions on subnational African development in a novel
framework that accounts for both local geography and cultural-genetic traits. We exploit the …

As Africa's role on the global stage is rising, so does the need to understand the shadow of
history on the continent's economy and polity. We discuss recent works that shed light on …

How persistent are cultural traits? Using data on anti-Semitism in Germany, we find local
continuity over 600 years. Jews were often blamed when the Black Death killed at least a …

We hypothesise that the Habsburg Empire with its well‐respected administration increased
citizens' trust in local public services. In several Eastern European countries, communities …

This essay critically evaluates the analytic literature concerned with causal connections
between Islam and economic performance. It focuses on works since 1997, when this …

Over the past millennium, China has relied on the Confucian clan to achieve interpersonal
cooperation, focusing on kinship and neglecting the development of impersonal institutions …

In recent years, the Islamic finance industry has attracted the attention of policy makers and
international donors as a possible channel through which to expand financial inclusion …

We use the elements of a macroeconomic production function—physical capital, human
capital, labor, and technology—together with standard growth models to frame the role of …