Past event
Department of Economics Seminar with Dr Alberto Ciancio, University of Glasgow Spare the Rod? The Historical Legacy of Christian Missions on Child Discipline
Abstract: Understanding the social, historical, and cultural origins of childrearing practices, such as corporal punishment, is critical for informing social policies aimed at addressing their persistence. This study investigates harsh parenting practices in Africa, focusing on the role of external actors in shaping norms around physical discipline. Specifically, we hypothesize that the introduction of new ideological frameworks and social practices by religious missions during the colonial period influenced these norms. To test this hypothesis, we employ a geospatial approach, integrating historical data on the locations of Christian missions in the early 1900s across 20 countries with contemporary household-level data on child discipline practices. While Christian missions have been associated with fostering human capital development, our findings reveal that proximity to colonial missions significantly increases the likelihood of children experiencing corporal punishment. This effect is particularly pronounced for Protestant missions, likely reflecting colonial legacies that emphasized physical discipline as a means of instilling moral values and obedience.