Cultural Transmission and Religion

Alberto Bisin, Jean-Paul Carvalho and Thierry Verdier

Chapter 1 in The Economics of Religion, 2023, pp 1-62 from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract: Based on population dynamics models, the literature on cultural transmission has studied the formation and diffusion of religious traits through evolutionary and bottom-up forces such as parental socialization. This chapter provides a bird’s eye view of this approach and its main extensions. We also emphasize two additional dimensions of the cultural dynamics of religious preferences. The first is cultural blending and religious syncretism, namely the fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices. The second highlights the importance of purposeful and centralized authorities, such as religious leaders and institutions, that influence the cultural dynamics of religious beliefs and preferences.

Keywords: Economics; Religion; Economics of Religion; Max Weber; Adam Smith (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A1 A13 D9 E7 Z1 Z12 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Working Paper: Cultural Transmission and Religion (2023)
Working Paper: Cultural Transmission and Religion (2023)
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