Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Cong Wang
Author-Name-First: Cong
Author-Name-Last: Wang
Author-Email: cong@sam.sdu.dk
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Border Region Studies, University of Southern Denmark
Author-Name: Bodo Steiner
Author-Name-First: Bodo
Author-Name-Last: Steiner
Author-Email: bsteiner@sam.sdu.dk
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Border Region Studies, University of Southern Denmark
Title:  Can ethnic-linguistic diversity explain cross-country differences in social capital formation?
Abstract: Motivated by theoretical arguments that assert a negative impact of ethnolinguistic diversity on social capital, this paper aims to provide some empirical evidence on the relationship between the two variables. In particular, using a cross section sample of 68 developed and developing countries, this paper has found a significant negative effect of ethnolinguistic diversity on social capital. Countries with fractionalized ethnic and linguistic groups as captured by both log number of languages and Desmet et al. (2012) and La Porta et al. (1999)’s measures on linguistic diversity tend to have lower levels of social trust, fewer memberships in social organizations, deteriorated social norms and structure, hence, lower overall social capital stock.
Length:  40 pages
Creation-Date:  2015-03
File-URL: http://static.sdu.dk/mediafiles//F/4/4/%7BF44CE271-2CB9-4F50-83FB-0E268A21D61D%7D6-Cong-Steiner-2015-Social-capital.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Number: 6
Classification-JEL: E0, D72, Z10
Keywords: Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity, Social Capital, Economic Growth
Handle: RePEc:sdn:wpaper:6