Measuring ethnicity: challenges and opportunities for survey research

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

Measuring ethnic identity in social surveys has traditionally been problematic, often using a single question and allowing the respondent to choose one category from a pre-defined list. In this paper we discuss the rationale for and limitations of measuring a complex and multi-dimensional concept with a simple, uni-dimensional question. We propose that operationalising ethnicity as multi-dimensional requires multiple questions to capture the complexity of the concept. Giving researchers a number of different measures enables them to focus on the dimensions of interest to them, and has the potential to open up the rich resources of theoretically-robust survey research to researchers from a range of disciplines concerned with questions of ethnic identification.

Object Details

• Extent: Seite(n): 1332-1349
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Postprint; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Ethnic and Racial Studies, 33(8)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie ; Erhebungstechniken und Analysetechniken der Sozialwissenschaften ; Migration

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Burton, Jonathan ; Nandi, Alita ; Platt, Lucinda
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Vereinigtes Königreich
• (when): 2010

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870903527801
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-215805
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST