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Viktor Malein

Postdoctoral fellow

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Culture, Economic Stress, and Missing Girls

Author

  • Viktor Malein
  • Tamri Matiashvili
  • Francisco J. Beltrán Tapia

Summary, in English

Cultural norms play a pivotal role in shaping how societies respond to crises. This study examines the causal effect of ethnic-specific gender norms on gender-biased mortality during resource shocks. Studying the 1891-1892 Russian famine, we compare cohorts born before and after the famine in districts differentially affected by the famine and with diverse gender norms. Our findings reveal that areas where women were depicted more negatively suffered a more skewed sex ratio favouring male survival. Our empirical exercise further stresses the importance of the cultural channel in driving these results and emphasizes the role of agency in survival outcomes. This study sheds light on the profound influence of cultural norms on survival-relevant decisions during crises, pointing at culturally ingrained channels of discrimination.

Department/s

  • Department of Economic History
  • Centre for Economic Demography

Publishing year

2024

Language

English

Pages

1-65

Publication/Series

Discussion paper

Issue

DP18761

Document type

Working paper

Publisher

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Topic

  • Economic History

Keywords

  • Famine
  • Sex ratio
  • Folklore
  • N33
  • J16
  • Z13
  • N53

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0265-8003