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Changing ethnic identities. Ludi Simpson, University of Manchester, CCSR ESRC Methods Festival 2006. Motivations. Colour and origin correlated to social conditions Claims about changing diversity of cities Births, deaths, migration Measuring population change over time
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Changing ethnic identities Ludi Simpson, University of Manchester, CCSR ESRC Methods Festival 2006
Motivations • Colour and origin correlated to social conditions • Claims about changing diversity of cities • Births, deaths, migration • Measuring population change over time • Labour and housing market inequalities • National and local planning • Population 1991, 2001 and beyond
Measuring ethnic group population change 1991-2001 from the census • Census undercount • Population base – where are students counted? • Geography – boundary changes • Inconsistent recording of ethnic group
How can an individual’s ethnic group change between 1991 and 2001? • Changed categories and coding of write-in answers • Unreliability: two answers when asked twice • Errors in response • ambiguity of question • Conscious choice of different group
Longitudinal Study and other evidence • England and Wales sample of individuals’ census forms from both 1991 and 2001 • 1% crossed the White-not-White divide • A further 1% crossed between categories other than White • White the most stable category • 1991 Census Validation Survey • Unreliability: about half of decadal change
% keeping same category 1991-2001 Age in 1991
Correlates of ethnic category instability for an individual • Country of birth: • In category label < UK < Other • Eg. Indian instability 1991-2001: 4.5 < 10.9 < 40.0 • Life stage: transition from home • Environment: Mixed household ethnicity, few of same group in locality. • Poor data quality for other questions
Comparing 1991 and 2001 Censuses advice • Aggregate data: • White, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African, Chinese + residual • No accepted formula to recreate Mixed from 1991.. • www.ccsr.ac.uk – working papers • Longitudinal Study • the most relevant time point • consider changes of identity as a category • Exclude imputed values of ethnic group which are usually wrong for ethnic minority groups
Future surveys and censuses • Comparability over time vs evolving complexity • Black and Asian -> European and Middle East • Ambiguity for growing populations born in Britain and of mixed heritage • Heritage within the UK ‘national origin’ • Scottish, English, Irish, Welsh • Local variations (PLASC) • Specialist surveys to complement and evaluate standard questions
Conclusions • Use categories for aggregate populations with care and with evidence of their permeability • Instability will increase • Demographic change; social cohesion • Conflicts of purpose? • immigration/discrimination/service delivery