Publications [#238488] of Timur Kuran

Journal Articles

1. Kuran, T; Sandholm, WH, Cultural integration and its discontents, Review of Economic Studies, vol. 75 no. 1 (January, 2008), pp. 201-228, Oxford University Press (OUP), ISSN 0034-6527 [doi]
   (last updated on 2024/04/19)

   Abstract:
   A community's culture is defined by the preferences and equilibrium behaviours of its members. Contacts among communities alter individual cultures through two interrelated mechanisms: behavioural adaptations driven by pay-offs to coordination, and preference changes shaped by socialization and self-persuasion. This paper explores the workings of these mechanisms through a model of cultural integration in which preferences and behaviours vary continuously. It identifies a broad set of conditions under which cross-cultural contacts promote cultural hybridization. The analysis suggests that policies to support social integration serve to homogenize preferences across communities, thereby undermining a key objective of multiculturalism. Yielding fresh insights into strategies pursued to influence cultural trends, it also shows that communities benefit from having other communities adjust their behaviours. © 2008 The Review of Economic Studies Limited.