Religion and Abortion: The Role of Politician Identity

Sonia Bhalotra, Irma Clots-Figueras and Lakshmi Iyer

No 11292, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Leveraging close elections to generate quasi-random variation in the religious identity of state legislators in India, we find lower rates of female foeticide in districts with Muslim legislators, which we argue reflects a greater (religious) aversion to abortion among Muslims. These districts exhibit increases in fertility that offset the decrease in girl abortion. We find no evidence of greater postnatal neglect of girls once more girls are born. Our findings show that politician preferences over abortion influence abortion-related outcomes, most likely through greater enforcement of laws against sex determination.

Keywords: sex selection; politician identity; fertility; infant mortality; religion; abortion; Muslims; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I15 J13 O15 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 56 pages
Date: 2018-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev and nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published - published in: Journal of Development Economics, 2021, 53, 102746

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Related works:
Journal Article: Religion and abortion: The role of politician identity (2021)
Working Paper: Religion and Abortion: The Role of Politician Identity (2021)
Working Paper: Religion and Abortion: The Role of Politician Identity (2021)
Working Paper: Religion and abortion: The role of politician identity (2021)
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