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In 19th century America, Jews disproportionately filled an important role in the US economy as peddlers and merchants who brought supplies to settlers in the westward expansion. Prof. Colleen Haight of SJSU explains the logic behind this phenomenon and links it to the economics of religion and the role that religious distinctiveness played in solving reputational problems. She also addresses the matter of hostility towards Jews and how this factored in to their chosen profession. This is an encore presentation from the autumn of 2014.

We will return on July 24th with new episodes. In the meantime, search our archives!

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What did Adam Smith have to say on the effects of religious pluralism in a nation? And can what Smith hypothesized be tested today to see if it bears out? And what does this have to do with The Simpsons? Prof. Joshua Hall of West Virginia University explains a recent study he conducted that shows countries with higher levels of religious diversity have less regulated religious markets, just as Smith would predict. We also think about endogeneity and other fancy words, culminating in the economics of The Simpsons, which is not related to the main topic, but which is really cool nonetheless.

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In 19th century America, Jews disproportionately filled an important role in the US economy as peddlers and merchants who brought supplies to settlers in the westward expansion. Prof. Colleen Haight of SJSU explains the logic behind this phenomenon and links it to the economics of religion and the role that religious distinctiveness played in solving reputational problems. She also addresses the matter of hostility towards Jews and how this factored in to their chosen profession.

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What was the function and rationale of the Oracle of Delphi? And how does its operation help us understand the Temple of Shiloh, the role of the Vatican in the Middle Ages, and the physical location of Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA? Prof. Colleen Haight applies some basic economic principles to understand why the Delphic Oracle was so important to ancient Greek civilization and how it relates to so many other historical and contemporary phenomenon. Being both fun and informative, this is an instant Research on Religion classic!

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In a very special “simul-podcast,” Russ Roberts of EconTalk interviews Tony about the economics of religion and religious liberty. This interview is broadcast both on our website and over at EconTalk (www.econtalk.org). This is extra special for Tony given that it was EconTalk that inspired the creation of this show and he is a big fan of Prof. Robert’s work. We discuss the origins of religious liberty as well as some additional observations about the economics of religion.

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Why is religious leadership so important? And what do rituals have to do with establishing authority and leadership? Prof. Michael McBride of UC-Irvine discusses the underlying economic logic of religious leadership, particularly as it relates to coordinating group activity. Central to any leadership position is the issue of coordinating expectations among followers. Mike shows how various rituals, normative values, and sacrifices can assist in make leadership effective. We also discuss the implications of his theory with some surprising extensions to secularization theory.

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Dark networks are clandestine organizations that often engage in nefarious behavior. Often associated with religious terrorist groups, these dark networks are the focus of our discussion with Prof. Sean Everton of the Naval Postgraduate School. He covers the nature of these groups, how we learn about them via network analysis, and how counter-insurgency efforts are being crafted to disrupt these networks in places like Colombia, Indonesia, and Iraq.

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Author Larry Witham takes an outsider’s look at the “economics of religion,” a relatively new academic perspective on understanding religious behavior and institutions. We trace the history of this academic school from Adam Smith to contemporary times and investigate how the logic of economics can help explain behavior at the level of the household, organization and market. The economics of religion is not just about financial concerns, but deals with how religiously-motivated individuals achieve their goals (including evangelization) in a world of scarcity. The basic assumptions and premises of the approach are examined, as are the critiques of the approach.

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