Can we, should we, measure ethnicity?

Abstract

This paper discusses some of the methodological issues in the measurement of ethnicity in the social survey. Measurement encounters two sets of interrelated problems: those of the definition and nature of ethnicity as a social phenomenon and its individual subjective experience and those of the derivation of valid and reliable categories. Commonly used single-item measures fail to capture many ethnic groups and may be of limited value. Extending categories in these will capture more groups, but can be unwieldy and produce small cell counts, whereas multiple measures can be more successful, but are practically less viable in general surveys. We conclude that whilst these difficulties are probably insurmountable, a strategy that is sensitive to the presence of ethnic groups in particular localities is a way forward, but this should also be part of a more sociologically nuanced approach to the collection of ethnic data.

Keywords:

• ethnicity
• social survey
• measurement
• Cornish

Notes

1. The Census question refers to national identity for these groups.

2. For a summary of these see Cornwall Council (2010).

3. Cornish Studies, Second Series 1992–2011. Exeter, University of Exeter Press.

4. See: Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=26948.

5. Indeed, as Platt et al. (2005, p. 121) show whilst there was inconsistency between response in the 1991 and 2001 England and Wales censuses, there was nevertheless a high response rate estimated to be between a minimum 1.8% for Chinese and 6% in the ‘Black Other category’.

6. Nevertheless there was a consistency between 91% of responses in the 1991 and 2001 censuses, but much of this was accounted for by those who selected ‘white’ (Platt et al., 2005, p. 121).

7. See, e.g. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://breselyerkeltic.com/2012/01/15/legislative-and-policy-framework-for-the-cornish/; http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/m-Cornish-campaign-target-Census/story-11496239-detail/story.html. In the period before the Census, Cornwall Council launched a publicity campaign, including a poster, for the ‘write in’ option Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=26948.

8. Although a ‘write in category’ existed in 1991, the number of categories coded by ONS was fewer than in subsequent censuses.

9. See, e.g. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/the-2011-census/census-consultations/index.html for details of ONS and that by the Scottish Government. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/233640/0063967.pdf.

10. See: Retrieves March 5, 2012, from http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/equalopp/policies/overview.php.

11. The general form of the weighting strategy outlined is: .