Work

The words that keep people apart: official language and accountability

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper examines how the distance between a country’s official language and the languages spoken by its citizens influences accountability. Two arguments support this relationship: first, the role of language as a tool for communication between elites and citizens; and second, its role in shaping cultural patterns that underpin social interactions. Using a dataset of 147 countries, we reveal a consistent negative correlation between linguistic distance and levels of accountability across all measures. Higher educational attainment can mitigate the negative impact of a foreign official language on accountability.

Source: Journal of Institutional Economics

DOI: 10.1017/s1744137425100209

Authors: Adelaide Baronchelli, Alessandra Foresta, Roberto Ricciuti

Institutions: University of Turin, University of Southampton, University of Verona

Language: English

Topic: Culture, Economy, and Development Studies

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550