Does Secular Education Impact Religiosity, Electoral Participation and the Propensity to Vote for Islamic Parties? Evidence from an Education Reform in a Muslim Country

Resul Cesur () and Naci Mocan

No 8017, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Using a unique survey of adults in Turkey, we find that an increase in educational attainment, due to an exogenous secular education reform, decreases women's propensity to identify themselves as religious, lowers their tendency to wear a religious head cover (head scarf, turban or burka) and increases the tendency for modernity. Education reduces women's propensity to vote for Islamic parties. There is no statistically significant impact of education on men's religiosity or their tendency to vote for Islamic parties and education does not influence the propensity to cast a vote in national elections for men or women. The impact of education on religiosity and voting preference is not working through migration, residential location or labor force participation.

Keywords: head scarf; modernity; voting; Muslim; Islam; religion; education; burka; Islamic party (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 I2 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 78 pages
Date: 2014-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ara, nep-cdm, nep-cwa, nep-dem, nep-edu and nep-pol
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Published - published as 'Education, religion, and voter preference in a Muslim country' in: Journal of Population Economics, 2018, 31 (1), 1-44

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Related works:
Working Paper: Does Secular Education Impact Religiosity, Electoral Participation and the Propensity to Vote for Islamic Parties? Evidence from an Education Reform in a Muslim Country (2014)
Working Paper: Does Secular Education Impact Religiosity, Electoral Participation and the Propensity to Vote for Islamic Parties? Evidence from an Education Reform in a Muslim Country (2013)
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