Intergenerational Transmission of Identity in sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), high levels of ethnic diversity have often been considered in quantitative research as constraining social and economic development.

Yet most of the research on ethnicity and development has given little thought to the complexity of ethnic identities, treating ethnic identity as a static affiliation to a single group.

As such, it is not easy to reconcile findings from this literature with more recent empirical work that stress that multi-ethnicity is not a rare phenomenon in SSA and that ethnic identity identities may be less salient than national identities.

In response, the TransmId project (Intergenerational Transmission of Identity in sub-Saharan Africa) proposes a novel understanding of ethnicity by focusing on the intergenerational transmission (IGT) of identity in SSA.

By studying which identity traits (e.g. language use, religious practice) are passed down generations, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of ethnicity while considering it both as socially salient and dynamic.

The project combines insights from the theoretical economic literature on parental investment in IGT with perspectives from political science and sociology on institutional factors and socialisation mechanisms. TransmId relies on economic modelling, statistical analyses, and first-hand data.

The projects workflow follows the sequence of intergenerational transmission over generations, from marriage decisions to investments in childrens identities.

First, I will focus on understanding the drivers of intermarriages using data from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Second, I will design a lab experiment in Kenya to assess parents preferences regarding their childrens identity (e.g. multi-ethnicity, ethnic and national identities).

Third, building on case studies and on a cross-country longitudinal analysis, TransmId will provide a comparative perspective on the role of institutional contexts in shaping IGT decisions.