Ethnic Measurement as a Policy Making Tool

Abstract

Ethnicity (or race) is considered to be a very significant dimensional variable in social science research and policy making in most, but not all, countries. Yet, ethnicity is not a human characteristic that can be easily identified or measured. As a result in many countries, including New Zealand, there is an ongoing debate as to the best way of measuring and reporting race or ethnicity data. In turn, these discussions raise difficult questions about the use of ethnicity in the development and delivery of social policy, particularly in the light of an increasing recognition that ethnic boundaries are often ‘leaky’.