Arbeitspapier
Can Schools Change Religious Attitudes? Evidence from German State Reforms of Compulsory Religious Education
We study whether compulsory religious education in schools affects students' religiosity as adults. We exploit the staggered termination of compulsory religious education across German states in models with state and cohort fixed effects. Using three different datasets, we find that abolishing compulsory religious education significantly reduced religiosity of affected students in adulthood. It also reduced the religious actions of personal prayer, church-going, and church membership. Beyond religious attitudes, the reform led to more equalized gender roles, fewer marriages and children, and higher labor-market participation and earnings. The reform did not affect ethical and political values or non-religious school outcomes.
- Language
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Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 9504
- Classification
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Wirtschaft
Cultural Economics: Religion
Education: Government Policy
State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- Subject
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religious education
religiosity
school reforms
- Event
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Geistige Schöpfung
- (who)
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Arold, Benjamin W.
Woessmann, Ludger
Zierow, Larissa
- Event
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Veröffentlichung
- (who)
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Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
- (where)
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Munich
- (when)
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2022
- Handle
- Last update
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10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET
Data provider
This object is provided by:
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Arold, Benjamin W.
- Woessmann, Ludger
- Zierow, Larissa
- Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
Time of origin
- 2022
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Das Wissenskapital der Nationen: gute Bildung als Wachstumsmotor
Can Schools Change Religious Attitudes? Evidence from German State Reforms of Compulsory Religious Education
Can schools change religious attitudes? Evidence from German state reforms of compulsory religious education
Social Cohesion, Religious Beliefs, and the Effect of Protestantism on Suicide
Families, Schools, and Primary-School Learning: Evidence for Argentina and Colombia in an International Perspective
Luther and the girls: religious denomination and the female education gap in 19th century Prussia
Religious Education in School Affects Students' Lives in the Long Run
Educational Production in East Asia : The Impact of Family Background and Schooling
Fundamental determinants of school efficiency and equity: german states as a microcosm for OECD countries
The Importance of School Systems: Evidence from International Differences in Student Achievement
International Evidence on School Tracking: A Review
Cross-country evidence on teacher performance pay