Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/248894 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 9349
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
We investigate how the intensity of Ramadan affects educational outcomes by exploiting spatio-temporal variation in annual fasting hours. Longer fasting hours are related to increases in student performance in a panel of TIMMS test scores (1995–2019) across Muslim countries but not other countries. Results are confirmed in a panel of PISA test scores (2003–2018) allowing within country-wave comparisons of Muslim to non-Muslim students across Europe. We provide evidence consistent with the hypothesis that a demanding Ramadan during adolescence affects educational performance by facilitating formation of social capital and social identity via increased religious participation and shared experiences among students.
Subjects: 
education
religion
religious participation
Ramadan
social identity
social capital
PISA
TIMMS
JEL: 
I21
Z12
J24
O15
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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