At Princeton BREAD conference, my co-authors @pbrimble.bsky.social & Akhila Kovvuri will present our paper on the political economy impacts of the Ramayan TV show in India! 1 pm US ET, tomorrow Fri May 2. Watch on Zoom: princeton.zoom.us/j/93399992221 ibread.org/conference/b... #EconSky #Ramayan

How the Ramayan TV show helped shape a singular nationwide Hindu identity www.thehindu.com/society/how-...

The smash 80s serial "Ramayan," based on the Hindu epic, transformed the public sphere in India. An @nberpubs.bsky.social DiD working paper analyzing TV signal strength reveals it had lasting effects on culture, violence, and election outcomes. @pbrimble.bsky.social @deanyang.bsky.social #EconSky

Exposure to a 1987–88 TV adaptation of a Hindu epic strengthened religious identity, increased Hindu-Muslim conflict in the short run, and raised longer-run Hindu nationalist electoral success, from Ahmed, Brimble, Kovvuri, Saia, and Yang https://www.nber.org/papers/w33417