social statistics and ethnic diversity: an overview victor piché university of montreal...

Social Statistics and Ethnic Social Statistics and Ethnic Diversity: an overviewDiversity: an overview

Victor PichéVictor PichéUniversity of MontrealUniversity of Montreal

International Conference on International Conference on Social Statistics & Ethnic DiversitySocial Statistics & Ethnic Diversity

CIQSS and INEDCIQSS and INEDMontrealMontreal

6-8 December 20076-8 December 2007

IntroductionIntroduction

A very preliminary overviewA very preliminary overview A lot of question marks???A lot of question marks??? Organized around the three Organized around the three

questions of the Conference: questions of the Conference: – Should we count?Should we count?– Why?Why?– How?How?

Question 1: Question 1: Should we count?Should we count?

Overwelming YESOverwelming YES Particularly with respect to national Particularly with respect to national

(official) statistics(official) statistics– Historical sensibility (e.g. Hungary?)Historical sensibility (e.g. Hungary?)

However: 2 qualificationsHowever: 2 qualifications– Could be dangerous in certain cases Could be dangerous in certain cases

(e.g. health clinics): not taboo but (e.g. health clinics): not taboo but sensitivesensitive

– Need to integrate gender and social Need to integrate gender and social classclass

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or

not)?not)? Links with typology suggested by Links with typology suggested by

Rallu, Piché and SimonRallu, Piché and Simon (See: Rallu, Jean-Louis, Victor Piché (See: Rallu, Jean-Louis, Victor Piché

& Patrick Simon. 2006. & Patrick Simon. 2006. « Demography and Ethnicity: an « Demography and Ethnicity: an Ambiguous Relationship », in G. Ambiguous Relationship », in G. Caselli, J. Vallin & G. Wunsch (es), Caselli, J. Vallin & G. Wunsch (es), Demography: Analysis and Demography: Analysis and Synthesis, Elsevier Press.Synthesis, Elsevier Press.

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or

not)?not)?Typology of political uses of ethnicTypology of political uses of ethniccategories, four types of situations: categories, four types of situations: 1) Counting for domination and 1) Counting for domination and

exlusion: a thing of the past? exlusion: a thing of the past? – South Africa? Canada? USA?South Africa? Canada? USA?– Colonial (post-colonial ?) Colonial (post-colonial ?)

context: France?context: France?– Data manipulation in Sri Lanka?Data manipulation in Sri Lanka?

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or

not)?not)?Typology of political uses of ethnicTypology of political uses of ethniccategories:categories:2) Not counting for national 2) Not counting for national

integration and assimilation integration and assimilation purposes: purposes: – Guinea?Guinea?– France?France?– Germany?Germany?

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or

not)?not)?Typology of political uses of ethnicTypology of political uses of ethnicCategories:Categories:

3) Counting or not although 3) Counting or not although mixity is positively mixity is positively acknowledged: acknowledged: - not counting: most of Latin - not counting: most of Latin America in the past? Uruguay?America in the past? Uruguay?- counting: Brasil in the past?- counting: Brasil in the past?

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or not)?not)?Typology of political uses of ethnicTypology of political uses of ethnicCategories:Categories:4) Counting for anti-discrimination 4) Counting for anti-discrimination

actions (policy monitoring function)actions (policy monitoring function)- High consensus during conference- High consensus during conference- Many (most?) countries are now in - Many (most?) countries are now in this situation : Asia, Latin America, this situation : Asia, Latin America, and emerging in Africa? and emerging in Africa? - Interesting case studies on racial - Interesting case studies on racial and ethnic inequalities were and ethnic inequalities were presented.presented.

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or not)?not)?4) Counting for anti-discrimination 4) Counting for anti-discrimination

actions : actions :

Need to expand the rational for Need to expand the rational for collecting ethnic data in order to: collecting ethnic data in order to: - Better understand and Better understand and

document diversity (knowledge document diversity (knowledge function)function)

- Facilitate integration (positive Facilitate integration (positive function)function)

Question 2: Why Question 2: Why should we count (or should we count (or

not)?not)?Need to expand the rational forNeed to expand the rational forcollecting ethnic data in order to: collecting ethnic data in order to:

- Refine policy frameworks taking Refine policy frameworks taking into account ethnic differences into account ethnic differences (policy formulation function)(policy formulation function)

- Make « effective » the respect of - Make « effective » the respect of human rights (human rights human rights (human rights function)function)

Question 3: Question 3: how can we count?how can we count?

Many key methodological Many key methodological suggestions: here are a few:suggestions: here are a few:

– Need to implicate concerned groups Need to implicate concerned groups in definition of categoriesin definition of categories

Question 3: Question 3: how can we count?how can we count?

– Need to redefine (improve) categories Need to redefine (improve) categories to take into account: to take into account: Fluidity (ethnic mobility)Fluidity (ethnic mobility) New emerging indentities vs New emerging indentities vs

transnationalism and globalization transnationalism and globalization Multi-dimensional and multiple measures Multi-dimensional and multiple measures

(expressed, perceived, observed, etc.)(expressed, perceived, observed, etc.) Religion?Religion?

Question 3: Question 3: how can we count?how can we count?

- Importance of self-identificationImportance of self-identification- Need to allow multiple choices of Need to allow multiple choices of

responsesresponses- Special challenges for certain Special challenges for certain

specific groups: e.g. Aboriginals specific groups: e.g. Aboriginals (America); Roma Community (America); Roma Community (Europe) (Europe)

Conclusions (5.1)Conclusions (5.1)

1. Word of caution with respect to 1. Word of caution with respect to the vocabulary: counting vs the vocabulary: counting vs « comptage ethnique »: change « comptage ethnique »: change for measures?, indicators?for measures?, indicators?

Conclusions (5.2)Conclusions (5.2)

2. There is no doubt: « counting » 2. There is no doubt: « counting » in the above sens is necessary to in the above sens is necessary to render visible what is invisible render visible what is invisible and thus either ignored or deniedand thus either ignored or denied

- global trend towards - global trend towards including ethnicity in census including ethnicity in census data?data?

Conclusions (5.3)Conclusions (5.3)

3. Old categories need to be 3. Old categories need to be questionned and new categories questionned and new categories need to be invented.need to be invented.

If not, census ethnic data will If not, census ethnic data will become (are already?) obsolete. become (are already?) obsolete.

Conclusions (5.4)Conclusions (5.4)

4. Global multiculturalist shift 4. Global multiculturalist shift (virage)?(virage)?

Conclusions (5.5)Conclusions (5.5)

5. Census is political, census 5. Census is political, census categories are political and as categories are political and as researchers we must remain very researchers we must remain very critical in the use of such official critical in the use of such official statistics.statistics.

A truly international A truly international conferenceconference

N= 40 papers, 22 countriesN= 40 papers, 22 countries

North America: 14 (+ 6 posters)North America: 14 (+ 6 posters)

Europe: 12Europe: 12

New Zealand: 3New Zealand: 3

Latin America: 4Latin America: 4

Africa: 3Africa: 3

Asia: 3Asia: 3

Global: 1Global: 1

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

A truly international A truly international conferenceconference

North America:North America: 14 Latin America: 4 14 Latin America: 4– Canada: 9 (+ 5) Canada: 9 (+ 5) - Brazil: 2 - Brazil: 2– USA: 5USA: 5 (+ 1) (+ 1) - Mexico: 1 - Mexico: 1

- Uruguay: 1- Uruguay: 1

New Zeland: 3New Zeland: 3

Global: 1Global: 1

A truly international A truly international conferenceconference

Europe: 12 Asia: 3 Europe: 12 Asia: 3 – Belgium : 1 - Sri LankaBelgium : 1 - Sri Lanka– France : 1.5 - MalaysiaFrance : 1.5 - Malaysia– Germany: 3 - East AsiaGermany: 3 - East Asia– Great Britain: 1,5Great Britain: 1,5– Hungary: 1 Africa: 3Hungary: 1 Africa: 3– Romania: 1 - WestRomania: 1 - West– Regional: 3 - SouthRegional: 3 - South

- Guinée- Guinée