Measuring Ethno-Cultural Characteristics in Population

Censuses

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Regional Training Workshop on Population and Housing Censuses for South Eastern European Countries

Ohrid, 24-26 November 2008

Context

Data on ethnocultural characteristics are of high relevance in the context of migration, integration, minority policies

Different topics are concerned:• Ethnicity• Language• Religion

General principles (1/2)

Ethno-cultural characteristics are « non-core » (optional) topics in the CES Recommendations

Strong subjective dimension The free and open declaration of the

respondents is essential Information on one topic cannot be derived

from information on other topics

General principles (2/2)

Appropriate data security and disclosure control measures have to be put in place

Classifications have to be comprehensive and coding procedures transparent

Ethnicity

Information can be collected to understand cultural diversity, the position and participation of groups in society or for anti-discrimination policies

Ethnicity is distinct from language and/or religion but overlaps are frequent.

Should not be confused with citizenship Better to use « ethnicity » and avoid « nationality »

EthnicityDefinition

CES Recommendations:

« Ethnicity is based on a shared understanding of the history and territorial origins of an ethnic group or community as well as on particular cultural characteristics: language, religion, customs and ways of life »

EthnicityPractical aspects Respondents should be free to indicate more

than one ethnic affiliation or a combination of two

Questionnaires should always include an open question (not precoded)

Respondents should be allowed to indicate « none » or « not declared » when asked for their ethnicity

Countries should fix rules how the ethnicity of children from mixed couples is determined

EthnicityClassifications (for output) Classifications should be extensive,

elaborated on the basis of scientific and socio-political concepts and be discussed with ethnic groups themselves

Classifications should include at the finest levels ethnic groups, self perceived groups, regional and local groups

Classifications at the highest level depend on national circumstances but the procedures for coding and aggregation should be documented and fully transparent

Language

Information can be collected to understand linguistic diversity or for language and minority policies

Different types of data on language may be collected, reflecting different aspects of the distribution, knowledge and use of languages

Definitions are extremely important and have to be spelled out for the respondents

LanguageDifferent questions

1. Mother tongue: first language spoken in the early childhood at home

2. Main language: language which a person commands best

3. Language(s) most currently spoken at home and/or at work

4. Knowledge of language(s), defined as the ability to speak and/or write one or more designated languages

Language Which questions for which purposes?

Mother tongue and/or main language are asked to understand processes of language change and determine language groups and regions. Answers refer generally to one language only.

Data on spoken languages and knowledge of languages are asked to understand language practices in everyday life and individual knowledge of languages. Questions have to allow for multiple answers.

LanguagePractical aspects Many language groups are small. An

open answer box should be available (without precoding)

Classifications should be comprehensive and include on the finest level also regional dialects

Coding and aggregation procedures should be clearly defined and fully transparent

Religion

Information on religion can be collected to understand religious diversity and possibly to develop policies with respect to members of religious communities

Different types of data may be collected on religion, reflecting different aspects of religious beliefs and practices

Data on religion are particularly sensitive and for privacy reasons the questions may be voluntary in some countries

ReligionDefinition

CES Recommendations:

« Religion is regarded as a set of beliefs and practices involving acknowledgement of a divine or higher being, power or principle, by which people order the conduct of their lifes both practically and in a moral sense »

ReligionDifferent questions

1. Formal membership of a church or a community

2. Identification with a certain religion, religious community or denomination

3. Religious belief

4. Religion in which a person was brought up

5. Religious attendance

ReligionWhich questions for which purposes? Usually a question referring to the relationship

with a religious community (membership or identification) is asked

The question on the religion in which one was brought up informs about religious change and should be combined with question above

Information on religious beliefs or religious practices is extremely sensitive and complicated in a Census, it should rather be asked in sample surveys.

ReligionPractical aspects Questionnaires should always include

open boxes to allow small groups to identify

Respondents should be allowed to indicate « none » or « not declared » when asked for their religion

Countries should fix rules how the religion of children from mixed couples is determined

ReligionClassifications

Classifications should be comprehensive and include on the lowest level also subsets of religions and churches

Classifications at the highest level depend on national circumstances

Coding and classification procedures should be clearly defined and transparent