The demographic approach to the quality of official ethnicity data in Serbia – a research proposal

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Jul 10, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/STNV220416004T
Keywords:
statistics of ethnicity, quality of data on ethnic characteristics, ethnodemographic trends, statistically variable ethnic groups, Serbia

Main Article Content

Nevena Trnavčević
Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5792-7817
Aleksandar Knežević
Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1630-3586

Abstract

Demographic studies of the population by ethnicity are gaining new significance. Emigration, intensive aging, and declining fertility have caused changes in demographic trends, particularly in communities of different ethnic backgrounds. Ethnodemographic trends are mostly observed through the lens of official ethnic statistics. The most important factor regarding data quality is the approach towards subjective criteria in the self-declaration of ethnic affiliation in censuses and vital statistical surveys. This paper presents examples of statistical deviations of demographic indicators based on official data on ethnicity and introduces a proposal for research into their quality and use value. Our research proposal is based on previous demographic analyses of ethnicity data and focuses on the demographic framework of statistics of ethnicity in Serbia through data quality analysis. We contend that the results presented in the paper constitute a sufficient argument for a broader methodological discussion regarding the necessity of demographic research into ethnicity data to create a “more objective” demographic picture of minorities. Examining the quality of ethnicity data is very important for analysing indicators of statistically variable minority ethnic groups. The results of the research can form the basis for reviewing the data sources on which policies towards ethnic minorities are formulated.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Trnavčević, N., & Knežević, A. (2023). The demographic approach to the quality of official ethnicity data in Serbia – a research proposal. Stanovnistvo, 61(1), 17–33. https://doi.org/10.2298/STNV220416004T
Issue
Vol. 61 No. 1 (2023)
Section
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Published by the Institute of Social Sciences - Center for Demographic Research 

Author Biographies

Nevena Trnavčević, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)

Assistant

Aleksandar Knežević, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)

Associate Professor

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

Banks, M. (1996). Ethnicity: Anthropological Constructions. London: Routledge.

Banton, M. (1983). Racial and Ethnic Competition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bašić, G., & Lutovac, Z. (2020). The Lack of Ethnically Sensitive Data in Serbia's Multiculturalism Policy. Stanovništvo, 58(1), 25‒45. https://doi.org/10.2298/STNV200420004B

Bauman, Z. (2011). From Pilgrim to Tourist, or a Short History of Identity. In S. Hall & P. D. Gay (Еds.), Questions of Cultural Identity (pp. 18–36). London: SAGE.

Breznik, D. (1988). Demografija : analiza, metod iimodeli. Beograd: Naučna knjiga.

Bufon, M. (1997). Države, narodi, manjšine: političnogeografski oris. Geografski vestnik, 69, 93–114.

Đurić, V., Tanasković, D., Vukmirović, D., & Lađević, P. (2014). Etnokonfesionalni i jezički mozaik Srbije. Beograd: Republički zavod za statistiku.

Eriksen, T. H. (2010). Ethnicity and Nationalism: Anthropological Perspectives. London: Pluto Press.

Fearon, J. D. (2003). Ethnic and Cultural Diversity by Country. Journal of Economic Growth, 8, 195-222. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024419522867

Frey, W. H. (2015). Diversity Explosion. Washington: Brookings Institution Press.

Gabbert, W. (2015). Ethnicity in history. In University of Cologne Forum »Ethnicity as a Political Resource« (Ed.), Ethnicity as a Political Resource (pp. 183-200). Transcript Verlag. http://dx.doi.org/10.14361/9783839430132-014

Geertz, C. (1963). The integrative revolution: Primordial sentiments and civil politics in the new states. In C. Geertz (Ed.), The Interpretation of Cultures (pp. 255–310). New York: Basic Books.

Gellner, E. (1983). Nations and Nationalism. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Glazer, N., & Moynihan, D. P. (1975). Ethnicity, Theory and Experience. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Goldstone, J. A., Kaufmann, E. P., & Duffy Toft, M. (2012). Political Demography: How Population Changes Are Reshaping International Security and National Politics. Oxford University Press.

Hayden, R. (1992). Constitutional Nationalism in the Formerly Yugoslav Republics. Slavic Review, 51(4), 654-673. https://doi.org/10.2307/2500130

Janjić, D. (1988). Država i nacija. Zagreb: Informator.

Josipovič, D. (2014). Autochtony, Ethnicity, Nationality, and the Definition of National Minority. In V. Kržišnik Bukić & D. Josipovič (Eds.), Zgodovinski, politološki, pravni in kulturološki okvir za definicijo narodne manjšine v Republiki Sloveniji (pp. 9–34). Ljubljana: Inštitut za narodnostna v prašanja.

Kertzer, I. D., & Arel, D. (2001). Census, identity formation, and the struggle for political power. In I. D. Kertzer & D. Arel (Eds.), Census and Identity. The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Language in National Censuses (pp. 1‒42). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Knežević, A. (2005). Stanovništvo Srbije prema nacionalnoj pripadnosti po rezultatima popisa 2002. godine. Glasnik srpskog geografskog društva 85(1), 103-110.

Knežević, A. (2011). Methodological problems of ethno-statistical evidence and ethnodemographic research of population of Serbia. Demografija, 8, 129-144.

Knežević, A. (2013). Historical demographic and ethno-demographic basics for the development of population of Eastern Serbia (Doctoral Dissertation in Serbian). Retrieved from National Repository of Dissertations in Serbia. https://nardus.mpn.gov.rs/handle/123456789/2179?locale-attribute=en

Knežević, A., & Radić, N. (2016). The Census Categorization of Ethnic Identity: Between Theoretical Comprehensions and Statistical Practice. Stanovništvo, 54(2), 59-81. https://doi.org/10.2298/STNV161122010K

Knežević, A. (2017). Тhe Floating ethnic groups in demographic research – methodological issues, approaches and examples. Annales-Series Historia et Sociologia, 27(2), 439-456. https://doi.org/10.19233/ASHS.2017.31

Knežević, A. (2019). Mother tongue as a determinant of ethnic identity in population censuses of Serbia. Annales-Series Historia et Sociologia, 29(3), 455-472. https://doi.org/10.19233/ASHS.2019.30

Knežević, A., Radić, N., & Bakić, D. (2019). Ethno demographic aspects of population ageing in Eastern Serbia. Paper presented at Proceedings International Scientific Symposium “New trends in geography”, Skopje, North Macedonia, 03-04 October.

Murtagh, F., & Legendre, P. (2014). Ward’s Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering Method: Which Algorithms Implement Ward’s Criterion? Journal of Classification, 31(3), 274-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00357-014-9161-z

Pejčić, B. (1995). Metodologija empirijskog naučnog istraživanja. Beograd: Defektološki fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu.

Poutignat, P., & Streiff-Fenart, J. (1995). Theories De L` Ethnicite. Paris, Presses universitaires de France.

Radić, N., & Bakić, D. (2018). Pseudo-cohort approach in the mortality analysis of the population of Serbia: Examples and problems. Demografija, 15, 19-32. https://doi.org/10.5937/demografja1815019R

Radovanović, M. (1988). Stanovništvo kao autonomni biosocijalni i geografski sistem. Zbornik radova Geografski institut ''Jovan Cvijić'' SANU, 40, 167-178.

Radovanović, S. (1995). Etnička struktura i maternji jezik stanovništva. In S. Radovanović (Ed.), Stanovništvo i domaćinstva SR Jugoslavije prema popisu 1991. Godine (pp. 185-216). Beograd: Savezni zavod za statistiku.

Radovanović, S. (1996). Mogućnost korišćenja statističke građe za analizu etnografskih i etnodemografskih procesa. Zbornik radova Geografski institut ''Jovan Cvijić'' SANU, 46, 265-273.

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1948). Konačni rezultati popisa stanovništva 1948 – Stalno stanovništvo po narodnosti. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G1948/Pdf/G19484001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1954). Popis stanovništva 1953 – Ukupno stanovništvo po narodnosti. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G1953/Pdf/G19534001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1962). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 1961. godini– Nacionalni sastav stanovništva FNR Jugoslavije. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G1961/Pdf/G19614001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1972). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 1971. godini– Nacionalni sastav stanovništva SFR Jugoslavije. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G1971/Pdf/G19714001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1982). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 1981. godini– Nacionalni sastav stanovništva SFRJ po naseljima i opštinama. Republički zavod za statistiku.

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (1992). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 1991. godini– Stanovništvo prema nacionalnoj pripadnosti. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G1991/Pdf/G19914021.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (2003). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 2002. godini– Nacionalna ili etnička pripadnost. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2002/Pdf/G20024001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (2012). Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 2011. godini– Nacionalna pripadnost. Republički zavod za statistiku. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2012/Pdf/G20124001.pdf

Republički zavod za statistiku (RZS) (2012). Demografska statistika (2002-2011). Beograd: Republički zavod za statistiku.

Sarna, J. D. (1978). From Immigrants to Ethnics: Toward a New Theory of “Ethnicization”. Ethnicity, 5, 370-378.

Serdar, V. (1977). Udžbenik statistike. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.

Shils, E. (1957). Primordial, personal, sacred and civil ties. British Journal of Sociology, 8(2), 130–45. https://doi.org/10.2307/587365

Simon, P. (2012). Collecting ethnic statistics in Europe: a review. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35(8), 1366-1391. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2011.607507

Simon, P., & Piché, V. (2012). Accounting for ethnic and racial diversity: the challenge of enumeration. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35(8), 1357–1365. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2011.634508

Simon, P., Piché, V., & Gagnon, A. A. (2015). Social Statistics and Ethnic Diversity. Cross-National Perspectives in Classifications and Identity Politics. New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20095-8

Yancey, W., Ericksen, E., & Juliani, R. (1976). Emergent Ethnicity: A Review and Reformulation. American Sociological Association 41(3), 391. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2094249