Does culture influence female labor force participation of ethnic minorities? Evidence from a large-scale survey on both sides of the ethnic boundary in China

Abstract The government continues to face multiple challenges in increasing female labor force participation (FLFP) among ethnic minorities. While culture is considered a key factor, distinguishing it from other factors like institutions remains difficult. This study uses a spatial regression discontinuity design to address this challenge and analyze the differential impact of culture on FLFP on both sides of the ethnic boundary. The results reveal that the probability of FLFP among ethnic minority women is 33.4 percentage points lower than that of Han women on both sides of the ethnic boundary. This finding remains robust across different bandwidths and model specifications, ruling out the influence of factors such as institutional differences, non-random migration, and “sorting behavior”. Mechanism analysis suggests that culture exerts its effect on both sides of the ethnic Boundary through both labor demand and supply dimensions. The impact is particularly pronounced among women aged 18–29 or over 40, those who are unmarried or married with a spouse, and those in families with two or fewer children. This study holds significant theoretical and practical implications for optimizing employment policies for women in ethnic minority regions from a cultural perspective.