Abstract
AbstractThis paper investigates the association between religion and female labor market outcomes using new micro-level data on two distinct Muslim denominations in Turkey: Sunni and Alevi Muslims. We find a positive and significant association between being an Alevi Muslim and female labor force participation and employment, whereas there are no significant differences in male labor market outcomes between the two denominations. We provide evidence that Alevi Muslims have more gender-equal views regarding the role of women in the labor market and consider themselves as more modern. Both Sunnis and Alevis consider themselves as believers in religion (Islam). However, Sunnis are more likely to abide by the rules of religion. We argue that differences in views on gender roles and self-identity regarding modernity between the two denominations drive the results on female labor market outcomes.
Highlights
Female labor force participation (FLFP) remains low in several parts of the world, in the Middle East and North Africa, where thirteen of the fifteen countries with the lowest rates of female participation in the labor market are located [Bursztyn et al (2018), World Bank (2019)]
This study focuses on a single country Turkey, a predominantly Muslim nation, and aims to show the association of religion with FLFP and employment using new micro-level data on two distinct Muslim denominations in Turkey: Sunni and Alevi Muslims
We find that an Alevi Muslim woman is 11.6 percentage point more likely to participate in labor force than a Sunni Muslim woman whereas there are no significant differences in male labor market outcomes between the two denominations
Summary
Female labor force participation (FLFP) remains low in several parts of the world, in the Middle East and North Africa, where thirteen of the fifteen countries with the lowest rates of female participation in the labor market are located [Bursztyn et al (2018), World Bank (2019)]. While there are many quantitative studies analyzing the association of economic outcomes and different religious doctrines within Christianity religion such as those of Catholic and Protestant denominations [Lehrer (1995, 1996), Becker and Woessmann (2009), Cantoni (2015), Berman et al (2018)]; there are almost no empirical studies that examine how different religious doctrines within Islam and economic outcomes are linked.. Since the Turkish Statistical Institute or any other government agency does not request information on a person’s religious affiliation (other than to ascertain whether they are Islamic, Christian, or atheist) the differences in the economic outcomes of Sunni and Alevi Muslims have not been empirically studied in the literature. We examine gender views, modernity, and piousness as possible channels through which being a member of Alevi denomination may have a positive effect on female labor market outcomes..
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