Ingrid Hoem Sjursen on Leveraging religious leaders to increase voluntary tax compliance

The WIDER Seminar Series showcases the latest research on key topics in development economics. It provides a forum for senior and early-career researchers, both in-house and external, to present recent and ongoing work related to UNU-WIDER’s current work programme.

In this seminar, Ingrid Hoem Sjursen, Senior Researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Bergen, will present findings from her study on religious leaders and the provision of public goods. Given the importance of domestic revenue mobilisation and the enforcement challenges faced by many low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs), her research explores whether religious leaders can be more effective than government officials in communicating how tax revenues are used to deliver public services. 

Drawing on evidence from a lab experiment in Tanzania, the study finds that providing information increases tax compliance, only when conveyed by a religious leader. The results underscore the potential role of trusted community figures in strengthening compliance in contexts where trust in state institutions is limited.

For more information and registration, kindly check the seminar webpage.