Leader Identity and Coordination

Abstract This paper examines policy effectiveness as a function of leader identity. We experimentally vary religious identity in coordination game implemented India and focus on citizen reactions to identity, controlling for actions. find that minority leaders improve coordination, majority do not. Alternative treatment arms reveal affirmative action minorities reverses this result, while intergroup contact improves the both identities. also are less effective towns with history conflict. Our results demonstrate depend reactions, conditioned by social past