Research

The Fast and the Studious? Ramadan Observance and Student Performance with Olivier Marie and Marco Musumeci (submitted)

Abstract: We study the impact of religious obligations conflicting with civic duties, focusing on the performance of Muslim students when Ramadan overlapped with end-of-secondary-school exams in the Netherlands. Using administrative data and a machine learning model to estimate fasting probability, we document significant declines in academic performance and pass rates, particularly among low achievers and those in religiously segregated schools. This impact longer-term outcomes, with a 22% increase in the dropout rates. We suggest scheduling exams in the afternoon, allowing students to rest in the morning, as a practical policy to limit the adverse effects of Ramadan on academic performance.

Older working papers: TI, CEPR.

Columns: ESB (in Dutch); VoxEU

Media coverage (in Dutch): Algemeen Dagblad (13 May 2023); NRC (31 August 2023); NOS Stories (1 September 2023); NRC (14 March 2024)

Short explainer video (in Dutch, with subtitles)

Minority Salience and Criminal Justice Decisions with Nadine Ketel and Olivier Marie

Abstract: When decision-makers overemphasize salient features under limited attention, biased decisions can result in settings in which decisions should be unbiased. We exploit a sudden shock in the salience of individuals of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands to test the vulnerability of decisions of various actors in the Dutch criminal justice system to biases. Using high-quality data on decisions made from arrest through appeal in the Dutch CJS, we find that the sentence length of individuals of Moroccan descent convicted of a crime increased by 79% after the shock. Heterogeneity analyses indicate that more-experienced judges mitigate this effect. Finally, we find suggestive evidence of longer-term costs for defendants of Moroccan descent in that their labor income drops by 40% over the four years following their judgment of conviction.

Older working papers: TI. 

Podcast episode (in Dutch): De Nieuwe Economen Podcast (12 September 2024) (available online, on Spotify and Apple podcasts)