Data on discrimination in EU countries: statistics, research and the drive for comparability

Abstract

This paper focuses on data collection and research methods on ethnic/racial discrimination, and more particularly on the question of ‘ethnic statistics’. Taking the case of the European Union's Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), an international body whose tasks include providing European overviews of data on discrimination, the paper addresses the problem of the comparability of discrimination data. Drawing upon the experience of the FRA, the paper describes how the problem of comparability is addressed by working at three levels: the first is to produce reports mapping available data, highlighting gaps, and explaining when and why data are not comparable. The second is to initiate primary research – such as the EU-MIDIS survey of migrants and minorities – specifically designed to produce comparable data. The third level is to contribute to political and policy discussion to help raise awareness of the need for convergence in data collection practices between EU member states.

Keywords:

• Discrimination
• ethnicity
• data
• comparability
• EU FRA
• research

Acknowledgements

From 2003–2010 the author was senior researcher at the EUMC/FRA. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not there of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.