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What explains intensive kinship? Natural environment, religion, and the state

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  • Angeles, Luis
  • Elizalde, Aldo

Abstract

This paper studies the determinants of intensive kinship norms in human societies throughout the world. We expand the existing literature by considering three separate determinants of kinship intensity: the natural environment, religion, and state rule. Our novel methodology takes advantage of recent datasets, linking the location of human societies from the Ethnographic Atlas to geospatial data on the territorial span of states throughout human history. For religion, we find that Islam has an effect of similar magnitude but opposite direction to Christianity. For state rule, we find that only states with high levels of institutional development lead to less intensive kinship norms.

Suggested Citation

  • Angeles, Luis & Elizalde, Aldo, 2026. "What explains intensive kinship? Natural environment, religion, and the state," QUCEH Working Paper Series 26-05, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Centre for Economic History.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:qucehw:341402
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Akbari, Mahsa & Bahrami-Rad, Duman & Kimbrough, Erik O., 2019. "Kinship, fractionalization and corruption," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 493-528.
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    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion
    • N40 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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