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The Causal Effects of Ethnic Diversity: An Instrumental Variables Approach

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  • Ahlerup, Pelle

    (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University)

Abstract

Ethnic diversity is endogenous to economic development in the long run. Yet the standard approach in economic research is to treat ethnic diversity as an exogenous factor. By identifying instruments for ethnic diversity, we correct this misspeci ca- tion and establish that ethnic diversity has an exogenous in uence on income levels, economic growth, corruption, and provision of public goods. Earlier results based on OLS estimations may have underestimated the negative e¤ects of high levels of ethnic diversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahlerup, Pelle, 2009. "The Causal Effects of Ethnic Diversity: An Instrumental Variables Approach," Working Papers in Economics 386, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0386
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2077/21201
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mahzab, Moogdho & Atiq, Mohsina & Devdariani, Nino, 2013. "Comparative Analysis of Ethnic Diversity Measures on Provisioning of Basic Public Goods: Cross Country Assessment," MPRA Paper 38511, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Joseph Flavian Gomes, 2020. "The health costs of ethnic distance: evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 195-226, June.
    3. Casey, Gregory P. & Owen, Ann L., 2014. "Inequality and Fractionalization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 32-50.
    4. Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati & Samuel Brazys, 2023. "Does cultural diversity hinder the implementation of IMF-supported programs? An empirical investigation," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 87-116, January.
    5. Pelle Ahlerup & Ola Olsson, 2012. "The roots of ethnic diversity," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 71-102, June.
    6. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Smyth, Russell, 2017. "Ethnic Diversity and Poverty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 285-302.
    7. Zhu, Junbing & Grigoriadis, Theocharis, 2020. "Chinese dialects, revolutionary war & economic performance," Discussion Papers 2020/7, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    8. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill, 2017. "Microfinance and Ethnic Diversity," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 93(300), pages 112-141, March.
    9. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & Janet Exornam Ocloo & Diana Siawor-Robertson, 2017. "Ethnic Diversity and Health Outcomes," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 1077-1112, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic development; ethnic diversity; instrumental variables; property rights;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems

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