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(Mis)Representing Ethnicity in UK Government Statistics and Its Implications for Violence Inequalities

Author

Listed:
  • Hannah Manzur

    (Violence and Society Centre, City, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK)

  • Niels Blom

    (Violence and Society Centre, City, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK)

  • Estela Capelas Barbosa

    (Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK)

Abstract

The question of how we measure, categorise, and represent ethnicity poses a growing challenge for identifying and addressing ethnic inequalities. Conceptual critiques and qualitative studies highlight the complexities and challenges of measuring ethnicity, yet there remains a lack of quantitative studies investigating the implications of these complexities for inequalities research. This paper addresses this gap by scrutinizing methodological processes and analysing the implications of measurement and categorisation in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), critiquing the UK’s standardised measurement of ethnicity in national survey data and government statistics. Based on our comparative quantitative analysis of standardised ethnicity categories and regional origins and our evaluation of the CSEW and census’ methodologies, we propose an alternative categorisation of ethnicity, focusing on the ‘Mixed’, ‘Asian’, and ‘Latinx/Hispanic’ ethnic groups. Using adjusted crosstabulations and logistic regression models, we found variations in ethnic patterns of violence based on standardised measures and our alternative recategorisation, particularly relating to the distinction between ‘Asian’ sub-groups, the recategorisation of ‘Mixed’ ethnicities, and the inclusion of ‘Latinx/Hispanic’ as a distinctive ethnic group. Our findings reveal valuable insights into the implications of ethnic categorisation for understanding violence inequalities, with significant implications for further policy and research areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Hannah Manzur & Niels Blom & Estela Capelas Barbosa, 2024. "(Mis)Representing Ethnicity in UK Government Statistics and Its Implications for Violence Inequalities," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-33, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:5:p:235-:d:1382161
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kerris Cooper & Polina Obolenskaya, 2021. "Hidden victims: the gendered data gap of violent crime," The British Journal of Criminology, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, vol. 61(4), pages 905-925.
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