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The Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Economic Development: Common Misconceptions

Author

Listed:
  • Quamrul H. Ashraf
  • Oded Galor
  • Marc P. B. Klemp

Abstract

The importance of the prehistoric migration of anatomically modern humans from Africa for comparative economic development has been the focus of a vibrant research agenda in the past decade. This influential literature has attracted the attention of some scholars from other disciplines, and in light of existing methodological gaps across fields, has perhaps unsurprisingly generated some significant misconceptions. This article examines the critical views expressed by some scholars from other disciplines, and establishes that they are based on fundamental misunderstandings of the statistical methodology, the conceptual framework, and the scope of the analysis that characterize this influential literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Quamrul H. Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc P. B. Klemp, 2019. "The Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Economic Development: Common Misconceptions," CESifo Working Paper Series 7453, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7453
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    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp7453.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cemal Eren Arbatlı & Quamrul H. Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2020. "Diversity and Conflict," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(2), pages 727-797, March.
    2. Quamrul H. Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2018. "Interpersonal Diversity and Socioeconomic Disparities Across Populations: A Reply to Rosenberg and Kang," Working Papers 2018-14, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    3. C. Justin Cook & Jason M. Fletcher, 2018. "High-school genetic diversity and later-life student outcomes: micro-level evidence from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 307-339, September.
    4. Depetris-Chauvin, Emilio & Özak, Ömer, 2018. "The Origins of the Division of Labor in Pre-modern Times," MPRA Paper 84894, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. ¿Es buena la diversidad genética para la economía?
      by David Cuberes in Nada Es Gratis on 2019-11-27 06:07:23

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    Cited by:

    1. Quamrul H. Ashraf & Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2018. "Interpersonal Diversity and Socioeconomic Disparities Across Populations: A Reply to Rosenberg and Kang," Working Papers 2018-14, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    2. Kizys, Renatas & Mamatzakis, Emmanuel C. & Tzouvanas, Panagiotis, 2023. "Does genetic diversity on corporate boards lead to improved environmental performance?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Todea, Alexandru & Petrescu, Daiana Florina, 2021. "Is stock price informativeness shaped by our genes?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    comparative development; interpersonal population diversity; the out of Africa hypothesis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N30 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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