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Overlapping Generations Models of an Age-Group Society: The Rendille of Northern Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Merwan H. Engineer

    (University of Victoria)

  • Ming Kang
  • Eric Roth
  • Linda Welling

Abstract

This paper makes five contributions to the modeling of societies organized primarily according to age. First, it models the social rules adhered to by a particular age-group society, the Rendille of Northern Kenya. Second, it shows that their age-group rules are well represented by the standard overlapping generations (OLG) model. Third, we develop a genealogical OLG model that closely captures lifecycle transitions and lineages. Fourth, despite heterogeneity in the timing of marriage and birthing, the model can be calibrated using aggregate data. Fifth, the model permits an analysis of institutions that reveals the intergenerational conflicts between the lineages in changing the social rules

Suggested Citation

  • Merwan H. Engineer & Ming Kang & Eric Roth & Linda Welling, 2006. "Overlapping Generations Models of an Age-Group Society: The Rendille of Northern Kenya," 2006 Meeting Papers 248, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:sed006:248
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Merwan H. Engineer & Linda Welling, 2004. "Overlapping Generations Models and Graded Age-Set Societies," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 160(3), pages 454-476, September.
    2. Huggett, Mark, 1996. "Wealth distribution in life-cycle economies," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 469-494, December.
    3. Engineer, Merwan & Esteban, Joan & Sakovics, Jozsef, 1997. "Costly transfer institutions and the core in an overlapping generations model," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 287-300, February.
    4. Gokhale, Jagadeesh & Kotlikoff, Laurence J. & Sefton, James & Weale, Martin, 2001. "Simulating the transmission of wealth inequality via bequests," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 93-128, January.
    5. Engineer, Merwan & Bernhardt, Dan, 1992. "Endogenous transfer institutions in overlapping generations," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 445-474, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Overlapping Generations Model; Age-Group Societies; Institutions; Political Economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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