The department of economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Bar-Ilan University in Israel have formed a partnership to foster the study of the economics of religion as it applies to Judaism.

Participants come from UIC, Bar-Ilan University, and various other colleges and universities in the United States. Most are economists. Researchers in related fields are also contributing papers relevant to the conference theme.

Tuesday, June 20 - Thursday, June 22
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

University of Illinois at Chicago
June 20 Levine Hillel House, 924 S. Morgan St. (corner of Taylor and Morgan)
June 21-22 University Hall, 601 S. Morgan St. (corner of Harrison and Morgan) Room 2150

The economics of religion is a new field that applies economic tools to analyze the demand for religion by consumers and the supply of religious goods and services. The economics of Judaism is an even newer specialty within this field and is just beginning to attract the attention of scholars.

The conference theme is the role of human capital in Jewish life, which includes not only Jewish human capital (e.g., religious education and skills), but also Jewish investments in nonreligious human capital (e.g., general education, work-related skills, language, migration, marriage and fertility, health). Other scheduled papers use a human-capital approach to questions of Jewish charitable giving and to the teaching of Jewish economic history.

 

More information about the conference is available from the conference organizers at (312) 355-4565 or visit the homepage at www. uic.edu/cba/cba-depts/economics/ seminar_news.htm