Race statistics: how to get from where we are to where we should be: a rejoinder

Abstract

America's race statistics are inadequate to the policy challenges of the twenty-first century, especially for social justice and immigrant incorporation policy. But inertial forces – technical and political – complicate change. Overcome technical barriers by taking advantage of an experiment fielded in 2010. To miss that opportunity would be a huge failure. Political barriers are more difficult. Start with what is familiar – more emphasis on national origin – and add flexibility and granularity, both are politically desirable. Introduce change without disrupting the existing policy practices. Phase in improvements gradually, taking advantage of generational turnover. One generation changes the statistical basis for policy. The next generation, which has grown up with the new statistics, implements the policy changes. An example of how this works is found in the multiple-race option introduced in the 2000 census but probably not put to policy use until after the 2030 census.

Keywords:

• race
• ethnicity
• national origin
• statistics
• flawed
• census

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kenneth Prewitt

KENNETH PREWITT is Carnegie Professor in the School of Public & International Affairs and Department of Political Science at Columbia University.