Religious Practice and Student Performance: Evidence from Ramadan Fasting

Erik Hornung, Guido Schwerdt and Maurizio Strazzeri

No 14769, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

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 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 J24 O15 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 53 pages
Date: 2021-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-isf, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2023, 205, 100-119

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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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