The causal effect of foreign language learning on political attitudes
PS7-1
Presented by: Roland Kappe
This paper argues that foreign language learning in school can have a substantial (causal) effect on political attitudes later in life.
Theory suggests that speaking foreign languages reduces perceptions of cultural distance and contributes to the formation of transnational identities (Kuhn 2011). Focusing on attitudes towards the Europe Union, prior research shows a link between foreign language skills and European identity (Kuhn 2015, Díez -Medrano 2017). These questions are often explored with a focus on direct benefits of actual language skills. This paper proposes an additional mechanism, and argues that foreign language learning and the exploration of other cultures during impressionable years in the language classroom can have a substantial effect on political attitudes.
The problem with existing research is that self-reported language skills may be endogenous to attitudes, and language skills are correlated with various other factors that affect EU attitudes. The research design overcomes these challenges by leveraging plausibly exogenous variation in foreign language learning due to education reforms in Scotland starting in 1987 to estimate the causal effect of foreign language learning on political attitudes and vote choice in the Brexit referendum. Using a regression discontinuity design, the results show that voters who started high school immediately after the reforms were substantially more likely to vote for remain compared to cohorts not exposed to the reforms. A difference-in-difference design that compares Scottish cohorts to those in England and Wales also leads to the same conclusion. Preliminary evidence also shows similar patterns in other European countries.
Theory suggests that speaking foreign languages reduces perceptions of cultural distance and contributes to the formation of transnational identities (Kuhn 2011). Focusing on attitudes towards the Europe Union, prior research shows a link between foreign language skills and European identity (Kuhn 2015, Díez -Medrano 2017). These questions are often explored with a focus on direct benefits of actual language skills. This paper proposes an additional mechanism, and argues that foreign language learning and the exploration of other cultures during impressionable years in the language classroom can have a substantial effect on political attitudes.
The problem with existing research is that self-reported language skills may be endogenous to attitudes, and language skills are correlated with various other factors that affect EU attitudes. The research design overcomes these challenges by leveraging plausibly exogenous variation in foreign language learning due to education reforms in Scotland starting in 1987 to estimate the causal effect of foreign language learning on political attitudes and vote choice in the Brexit referendum. Using a regression discontinuity design, the results show that voters who started high school immediately after the reforms were substantially more likely to vote for remain compared to cohorts not exposed to the reforms. A difference-in-difference design that compares Scottish cohorts to those in England and Wales also leads to the same conclusion. Preliminary evidence also shows similar patterns in other European countries.