The Susan Bies Lecture on Economics and Public Policy

Speaker: Michael Kremer (UChicago)

Title: Narrative, Ritual, and Identity

Abstract: Some scholars argue that exposure to historical narrative, ritual, and collective experiences can shape national, religious, and personal identity. Do such experiences affect participants? Do they strengthen a sense of collective identity and encourage pro-social behavior? Do they create antipathy toward outsiders? This talk examines these questions through two different collective experiences: the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and a Mexican government heritage program built around the state-promoted narrative of mestizaje. In the Hajj setting, participation strengthens a shared Islamic identity, decreases sectarian separation, and increases tolerance and peaceful attitudes, without generating greater hostility toward non-Muslims. In the Mexican case, guided visits that bring disadvantaged secondary school students from areas that were once indigenous villages to historical sites strengthen national identity, shift how students perceive themselves in terms of ancestry and skin color, and increase pro-social behaviors, with little evidence of adverse effects on attitudes toward outsiders or democratic values. Taken together, these results complement an emerging literature on nation-building by showing that collective experiences and inclusive narratives can reshape how people understand themselves as part of larger collectives or a nation, and that stronger in-group attachment need not come at the expense of outgroups.

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