Church Membership and Economic Recovery: Evidence from the 2005 Hurricane Season

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Hasan, Iftekhar; Manfredonia, Stefano; Noth, Felix
• 署名单位: Fordham University; Bank of Finland; University of Sydney; Leibniz Association; Leibniz Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH); Otto von Guericke University
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1093/ej/ueae061
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 3306-3332
• 关键词: natural disasters; UNITED-STATES; religion; RISK; PARTICIPATION; Homeownership; attachment; katrina; IMPACT; shocks

摘要

This paper investigates the critical role of church membership in the process of economic recovery after high-impact natural disasters. We document a significant adverse treatment effect of the 2005 hurricane season in the Southeastern United States on establishment-level productivity. However, we find that establishments in counties with higher rates of church membership saw a significantly stronger recovery in terms of productivity for 2005-10. We also show that church membership is correlated with post-disaster entrepreneurship activities and population growth.