LSE

LJE

Education & Health

Consanguineous Marriage and Investments in Children

Project members:
Theresa Chaudhry, Lahore School of Economics
Rabia Arif, Lahore School of Economics

Hamilton’s Rule (1964), taken from evolutionary biology, suggests that people will display greater altruism towards individuals that are more closely related to help ensure the survival of their own genes. Dr. Theresa Chaudhry (Lahore School) and RabiaArif (Lahore School) are working on an analysis of the impact of consanguineous (first cousin) marriage on children, including child labor, household chores, education, and nutrition, to see whether children of cousin marriages may be the recipients of greater altruism due to the stronger genetic tie.