Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP9306
Authors: Quamrul Ashraf; Oded Galor
Abstract: Despite the importance attributed to the e¤ects of diversity on the stability and prosperity of nations, the origins of the uneven distribution of ethnic and cultural fragmentation across countries have been underexplored. Building on the role of deeply-rooted biogeographical forces in comparative development, this research empirically demonstrates that genetic diversity, predominantly determined during the prehistoric ?out of Africa? migration of humans, is an underlying cause of various existing manifestations of ethnolinguistic heterogeneity. Further exploration of this uncharted territory may revolutionize the understanding of the e¤ects of deeply-rooted factors on economic development and the composition of human capital across the globe.
Keywords: Cultural Diversity; Fractionalization; Genetic Diversity
JEL Codes: N30; O10; O30; O50; Z10
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| genetic diversity (C46) | ethnic and cultural fragmentation (F12) |
| genetic diversity (C46) | ethnic fractionalization (J15) |
| genetic diversity (C46) | ethnolinguistic polarization (F52) |
| migratory distance from East Africa (N97) | genetic diversity (C46) |