Understanding Society Working Paper Series 2008-02

Who are the UK's minority ethnic groups? Issues of identification and measurement in a longitudinal study

Authors

Publication date

23 Jan 2008

Abstract

In this paper we highlight issues related to measuring ethnicity and ethnic identity. We base our discussion on an extensive review of the literature and an intensive consultation process undertaken as part of the development of the ethnicity focused strand of a major new UK panel study, Understanding Society. We conclude that ethnic identity is a multi-dimensional concept and its ideal measure would have to be consistent, reliable as well as capture people’s perception of their own ethnic identity. One way forward is to design a multiple response question with different dimensions of ethnicity as response options.

Subjects

Survey Methodology, Ethnic Groups, and Social Policy

Notes

working paper

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Related publications

1. Who are the UK's minority ethnic groups? Issues of identification and measurement in a longitudinal survey.

   Jonathan Burton, Alita Nandi, and Lucinda Platt

   Conference Paper, International Conference on Survey Methods in Multinational, Multiregional, and Multicultural Contexts - 25 Jun 2008

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