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Category: Religion & Economics
Larry Witham on the Economics of Religion
Author Larry Witham takes an outsider’s look at the “economics of religion,” a relatively new academic perspective on understanding religious behavior and institutions. We trace the history of this academic school from Adam Smith to contemporary times and investigate how the logic of economics can help explain behavior at the level of the household, organization and market. The economics of religion is not just about financial concerns, but deals with how religiously-motivated individuals achieve their goals (including evangelization) in a world of scarcity. The basic assumptions and premises of the approach are examined, as are the critiques of the approach. Subscribe to our podcast via iTunes or Zune! [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] Michael McBride on Religious Free-Riding and the Mormon Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has exhibited remarkable growth and its members show remarkable commitment and satisfaction with their church. Prof. Michael McBride (UC-Irvine) talks about LDS organization and how Mormons overcome the free-riding problem that is common in many other denominations. You can now subscribe to our podcast by entering http://www.researchonreligion.org/podcast on iTunes or Zune. [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] Dan Hungerman on Religious Charity and Crowding Out
Dan Hungerman talks about whether government spending on social welfare crowds out religious charity both at the organizational and individual level. Does an increase in government spending reduce religious charity and contributions? We also discuss whether secular competitors (e.g., shopping malls) reduce participation in religious institutions. You can now subscribe to our podcast by entering http://www.researchonreligion.org/podcast on iTunes or Zune. [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] Eli Berman on Religious Terrorism
Eli Berman, professor of economics at UCSD, discusses the economics of religious terrorism, explaining why strict religious clubs have an advantage in securing collective action and why they can be so lethal. [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] Marc von der Ruhr on Megachurch Recruitment and Retention
Economist Marc von der Ruhr (St. Norbert’s College) explains how megachurches attract and retain members, becoming one of the fastest growing segments of the American religious landscape. (To download, right click on the download button and select “save target as…”). [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] Timur Kuran on Islamic Law and Economic Development
In the 10th century, Europe and the Middle East had comparable levels of economic development. Over the next several centuries, however, Christian Europe raced ahead of Muslim societies, developing the institutions that led to the Industrial Revolution and modern capitalism. Timur Kuran (Duke University) explains the role that Islamic Law played in this “long divergence.” (To download, right click on the button at the right and choose “save target as…”) [ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ] |
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