Minority size and socio-economic inequalities: A case study of Muslim minority in India

Abstract

The authors investigate the relationship between Muslim minority size and inequality using a new cross-sectional dataset of 599 Indian districts. The authors review existing studies, propose a new population growth inequality theory, and develop three hypotheses. A newly constructed multidimensional index of social well-being is used as a proxy for intergroup inequality. A multi-level mixed effects regression analysis with controls for urbanization and state-level effects is applied. The authors find a U-shaped relationship between the size of the Muslim minority and its absolute and relative well-being. Well-being reaches the lowest point when minority reaches approximately 50% of the population in a district. The average gap in well-being tends to be larger in the districts with lower socio-economic development.

District Development and Diversity Index: A Methodology That Promotes Evaluation and Assessment of Development and Welfare Programmes in India

“…These indices are computed for all districts and for each of the clearly identified SRCs of India. These data are amenable for further analysis to establish relationship between the differentials in outcome indicators according to population group identities and relevance to India’s economic and social development (Hassan, Balaev, & Shariff, 2015).…”