Religious practice and student performance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting

Erik Hornung, Guido Schwerdt and Maurizio Strazzeri
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Guido Schwerdt: University of Konstanz

CAGE Online Working Paper Series from Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE)

Abstract: We investigate how the intensity of Ramadan affects educational outcomes by exploiting spatio-temporal variation in annual fasting hours. Longer fasting hours are related to increases in student performance in a panel of TIMMS test scores (1995–2019) across Muslim countries but not other countries. Results are confirmed in a panel of PISA test scores (2003–2018) allowing within country-wave comparisons of Muslim to non-Muslim students across Europe. We provide evidence consistent with the hypothesis that a demanding Ramadan during adolescence affects educational performance by facilitating formation of social capital and social identity via increased religious participation and shared experiences among students.

Keywords: Education; Religion; Religious Participation; Ramadan; Social Identity; Social Capital; PISA; TIMMS JEL Classification: I21; Z12; J24; O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/c ... tions/wp590.2021.pdf

Related works:
Journal Article: Religious practice and student performance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting (2023)
Working Paper: Religious Practice and Student Performance: Evidence from Ramadan Fasting (2021)
Working Paper: Religious Practice and Student Performance: Evidence from Ramadan Fasting (2021)
Working Paper: Religious practice and student performance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting (2021)
Working Paper: Religious Practice and Student Performance: Evidence from Ramadan Fasting (2021)
Working Paper: Religious practice and student performance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting (2021)
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