CESR

The Center for the Economic Study of Religion seeks to advance the study of religion by economists and other social scientists.

NEWS:

Read Brian Hollar's blogs on the Economics of Religion

Check out "Secularism and Security: Contemporary International Perspectives" edited by Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar. Free download available.

Read article "In Europe, God is (Not) Dead" by Andrew Higgins

CESR's current activities include:

Conferences, seminars, and other special events,

Research

A new working paper series [coming soon].
Special courses and teaching programs.
Maintenance of the economics of religion website.

Partnership with ASREC, the Association for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Culture.
Organizing sessions at major academic conferences, including the AEA, ACE, SEA, WEA, and Public Choice Society.
Work with graduate students.
Support for visiting scholars and post-doctoral researchers,
Building an international network of scholars, students, foundations, and research centers.
Dissemination of findings.
And more!

Location/address:
CESR
Carow Hall, MSN 1D3
George Mason University
University Drive 4400
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

E-Mail:
Larry<at>econzone<dot>com
CBrickma<at>gmu<dot>edu

Get Involved!

Nearly all CESR-sponsored lectures, workshops, and conferences are open to any interested scholar or student. If you would like to receive notice of upcoming events, just contact us by email.

What is “the economic study of religion”?

The economic study of religion comprises a variety of subfields, which collectively embrace all aspects of the social-scientific study of religion. It is by no means limited to questions concerning the commercial economy or monetary aspects of religion. The economic study of religion includes:

Studies of the current and historic role of religion in advancing or impeding economic development, social progress, moral development, scientific and technology advances, and so forth.
Economic studies of religious beliefs, behavior, and institutions. (Examples: Explanations for conversion and commitment that emphasize choice and rationality over irrationality and indoctrination. Rational explanations for the success of “extreme,” “fundamentalist,” and “conservative” groups and weakness of more “liberal,” “mainstream” groups.)
Religiously-oriented critiques of economic theory and practice. (E.g., “Christian economics,” “Biblical Economics,” and “Islamic Economics.” Religiously-oriented critiques of capitalism, socialism, materialism, specific economic practices, etc.
Theoretical and observed differences between different forms of religion. (E.g., religion versus “magic”, and monotheism versus polytheism. Why Christianity displaced Greco-Roman paganism, and why polytheism is less morally constraining than monotheism.)
Studies of religious “markets”. (E.g., Alternatives to traditional “secularization” theory that emphasize the centrality of innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition in the “religious marketplace.” Market-oriented explanations for America’s religious vitality versus Europe’s religious decline.)
Studies of religious commitment and religious groups influence the well-being of individuals, families, youth, communities, and nations.
Studies of religious trends, the personal and social determinants of religiosity, and the relationship between religious and political/social/economic attitudes.
Policy implications regarding the state regulation of religion, religious liberty, church-state relationships, the treatment of minority and deviant faiths, etc.

For an overview of the field, read "An Introduction to the Economics of Religion" (Laurence R. Iannaccone, Journal of Economic Literature 1998).
[Intro - pdf]

For more information about the economic study of religion, visit the official economics of religion website [www.EconomicsofReligion.com].