Journal of International Migration and Integration
Volume 10, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 67-88

The challenge of measuring immigrant origin and immigration-related ethnicity in Europe (Article)

Jacobs D.* , Swyngedouw M. , Hanquinet L. , Vandezande V. , Andersson R. , Horta A.P.B. , Berger M. , Diani M. , Ferrer A.G. , Giugni M. , Morariu M. , Pilati K. , Statham P.
  • a Institut de Sociologie, METICES/GERME, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 44 Avenue Jeanne, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
  • b Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
  • c Institut de Sociologie, METICES/GERME, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 44 Avenue Jeanne, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
  • d Institut de Sociologie, METICES/GERME, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 44 Avenue Jeanne, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
  • e Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
  • f Universidade Aberta, Lisbon, Portugal
  • g University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • h University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • i Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
  • j University of Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland
  • k University of Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland
  • l University of Trento, Trento, Italy
  • m Bristol University, Bristol, United Kingdom

Abstract

Different European nation-states use the most diverse statistical constructions of foreign origin or ethnic minority populations. Several countries traditionally even shun from producing such data. This makes international comparison a very difficult endeavour. Anyone wanting to perform comparative research on immigrants or (immigrant origin) ethnic minorities in Europe is unavoidably confronted with the most diverse types of national statistical data and has to opt for ad hoc solutions. Attempts at international comparison can thus be very tricky due to data characteristics. It is important that researchers are aware of these problems and do not simply accept data (especially in comparisons) at face value. In this article we embark on a comparative explorative study of the way in which immigrant background and immigration related ethnicity is taken stock of by national statistical institutes in a set of European nation-states. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Author Keywords

comparative research Ethnic categorization Ethnic statistics Europe

Index Keywords

immigrant Eurasia international comparison nation state ethnicity Europe ethnic minority
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-63749094069&doi=10.1007%2fs12134-009-0091-2&partnerID=40&md5=d0b254de4168bd6c3b6e4e9017c82693
DOI: 10.1007/s12134-009-0091-2
ISSN: 14883473
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English