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Religious Identity, Informal Institutions, and the Nation-States of the Near East

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  • Mark Tomass

Abstract

This paper uses the Near East as a case study to describe how religious identity became a source of preference formation and a cause of social cleavage. It formulates the concepts of identity-sharing groups and resource-sharing groups to bridge between religious identity's social-psychological aspects and its socioeconomic effects. The paper then argues that social cleavages among religious identity-sharing groups generated informal institutions that are incompatible with the abstract formal institutions of the nation-states of Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. That incompatibility hobbles efforts of formal state institutions to promote economic development, and instead restrains economic growth by intensifying existing conflicts among groups. It suggests that a state that could promote economic development would be the one that recognizes and supports the informal, localized institutions and allows those of them with common features to evolve into abstract formal institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Tomass, 2012. "Religious Identity, Informal Institutions, and the Nation-States of the Near East," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 705-728.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:jeciss:v:46:y:2012:i:3:p:705-728
    DOI: 10.2753/JEI0021-3624460306
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    Cited by:

    1. Dina M. Abdelzaher & Amir Abdelzaher, 2017. "Beyond Environmental Regulations: Exploring the Potential of “Eco-Islam” in Boosting Environmental Ethics Within SMEs in Arab Markets," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 357-371, October.
    2. Duarte N. Leite & Sandra T. Silva & Oscar Afonso, 2014. "Institutions, Economics And The Development Quest," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 491-515, July.
    3. Mateusz Borkowski, 2024. "Trust and economic development on the example of European economies in 2017–2020: PLS-SEM modeling," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 4257-4280, October.
    4. Kun Liu & Kun Fu & Jing Yu Yang & Ahmad Al Asady, 2023. "A System Justification Theory of Entrepreneurial Attitudinal Change During a Crisis," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(3), pages 893-923, May.

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