Working Paper: NBER ID: w27918
Authors: Sara Lowes
Abstract: This chapter will cover recent research in historical economics that uses ethnographic data and data from surveys and lab experiments. The study of historical economics, particularly outside of non-Western countries, has been constrained by availability of historical data. However, recent work incorporates data and tools from other fields and sub-fields to fill this gap. For example, economists are increasingly taking advantage of ethnographic data sets compiled by anthropologists. There is also growing interest in the use of original survey data collection both within and across countries and lab-in-the-field experiments to answer questions on culture and institutions. Often, these tools are used together to provide complementary evidence on the question of interest. These sources of data have been particularly important for research on areas where there is limited historical data, and they have increased the scope of questions that can be examined. This chapter will overview these recent developments and highlight the benefits of these diverse methodologies and data sources.
Keywords: ethnographic data; historical economics; lab-in-the-field experiments
JEL Codes: C9; N01; N10; Z1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Parents from the Kuba group (N97) | Lesser emphasis on teaching values related to rule-following to their children (I24) |
| Historical forced labor practices in Rwanda and Burundi (J47) | Hutu farmers are less trusting and less likely to cooperate with Tutsi farmers (Z13) |
| Exposure to the Kuba state (P33) | Lower norms of rule-following among individuals from the Kuba ethnic group (Z13) |
| Exposure to the Kuba state (P33) | Weaker norms of rule-following (P37) |