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on Cultural Economics |
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Issue of 2025–05–12
four papers chosen by Roberto Zanola, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale |
| By: | Becker, Sascha O. (University of Warwick); Panin, Amma (Catholic University Louvain); Pfaff, Steven (Chapman University); Rubin, Jared (Chapman University) |
| Abstract: | This chapter examines the role of religion in economic development, both historically and today. Religion's influence varies globally, with high religiosity in countries like Pakistan and low rates in China. Despite declines in some Western countries, religion remains influential worldwide, with projected growth in Muslim populations due to higher fertility rates. Religion continues to shape societal norms and institutions, such as education and politics, even after its direct influence fades. The chapter explores how religious institutions and norms have impacted economic outcomes, focusing on both persistence and decline. It also examines cultural transmission, institutional entrenchment, networks, and religious competition as mechanisms sustaining religion's influence. We explore the relationship between religion and secularization, showing that economic development does not always reduce religiosity. Lastly, the chapter highlights gaps in the literature and suggests future research areas on the evolving role of religion in economic development. |
| Keywords: | networks, economic development, religiosity, cultural transmission, secularization, historical persistence, religion, religious competition, social norms |
| JEL: | D85 I25 J10 N30 O33 O43 P48 Z10 Z12 |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17747 |
| By: | Stelios Michalopoulos |
| Abstract: | In this Handbook chapter, I examine how integrating ethnographic and folklore records has shaped research on culture and economics in the 21st century. Advances in text analysis techniques and the incorporation of historical and satellite data have transformed the field. I explore how George Peter Murdock's ethnographic contributions and Yuri Berezkin's seminal folklore motif index have been utilized to shed light on the roots of comparative development. I conclude by proposing a methodology for leveraging Large Language Models to extract cultural insights from folklore motifs, demonstrating how ancestral narratives can complement ethnographic records and offer valuable perspectives on societal norms and the historical forces shaping economic behavior today. |
| JEL: | O10 Z10 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33700 |
| By: | Ma, Jiesi |
| Abstract: | The video game industry (VGI) has faced a profound crisis from 2023 to 2025, marked by unprecedented mass layoffs and studio closures. This study delves into the root causes and long-term implications of this workforce reduction, drawing critical parallels to the Video Game Crash of 1983, also known as the Atari Shock. By examining the economic and market dynamics that precipitated these layoffs—including overinvestment, escalating development costs, intensified market competition, product homogeneity, and shifting player behaviors—the research highlights the industry's structural vulnerabilities and resilience. Furthermore, the study explores the historical lessons from the Atari Shock. Through a combination of empirical analysis and historical pattern recognition, this research proposes actionable strategies for sustainable growth. The findings aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current crisis and offer practical recommendations for industry stakeholders to navigate future challenges effectively. |
| Date: | 2025–03–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:ns6c9_v1 |
| By: | Malte Baader (University of Zurich); Urs Fischbacher (University of Konstanz); Chris Starmer (University of Nottingham); Fabio Tufano (University of Leicester) |
| Abstract: | Identifying creative ability and its determinants is crucial in understanding artistic and innovative achievements. Previous work has shown that performance across established creativity tasks does not correlate within participants. A potential reason for this finding is that most creativity tasks lack well-defined performance criteria. In this paper, we develop a novel tool for measuring creative ability and assess its performance through experimental tests. We construct a semantic network serving as the underlying structure of our tool. Based on this network, participants perform two associative thinking tasks, Local Search and Depth Search. We characterise each task by relating it to an established measure of creativity, finding that performance in our proposed tasks is significantly related to their matched creativity task across several dimensions. Our new tool improves on established creativity tasks by utilising a predefined solution space. While capturing key features of established methodologies, it substantially increases on the ease of implementation and interpretation. In addition we also provide causal evidence on the effect of incentives on our tool. |
| Keywords: | Creativity; Associative Thinking; Methodology |
| Date: | 2025–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:not:notcdx:2025-01 |