event
Vilfredo Pareto Research Seminar
Tuesday
11
May
Kai Gehring

External threats and group identity: The effect of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on European Union identity

Kai Gehring, Senior Researcher at the University of Zurich
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Webinar streamed via Zoom

The Vilfredo Pareto Research Seminar is the Economics department's weekly seminar, featuring external speakers in all areas of economics.

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As part of the Vilfredo Pareto Research Seminar series, the International Economics Department at the Graduate Institute is pleased to invite you to a public talk given by Kai Gehring, Senior Researcher at the University of Zurich.

He will present his work titled External threats and group identity: The effect of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on European Union identity.

Abstract: Can external threats strengthen group identities? A growing economics literature emphasizes the importance of cultural attributes such as identity for trust and cooperation. However, where these attributes come from is not well-understood. This paper examines reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014, looking at European Union member states. Comparing low- versus high-threat states in a difference-in- differences design, I find a sizable and persistent positive effect on EU identity. It is associated with higher trust in EU institutions and support for common policies. Lower-level identities remain unaffected and distance to Russia and Russian minority size are driving high-threat status.

 

About the speaker

Kai Gehring completed his PhD at the University of Goettingen. He has teaching experience at the University of Mannheim, Heidelberg University, the University of Applied Sciences in Kaiserslautern, and the University of Zurich. He is a member of CESifo, the European Development Network (EUDN), the Development Economics Committee of the German Economic Association, and the "Globalization and Development" Group (GlaD). His main research interests are in political economy, development and public economics.