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Exploring the implications of changing census output geographies for the measurement of residential segregation: the example of Northern Ireland 1991-2001

Exploring the implications of changing census output geographies for the measurement of residential segregation: the example of Northern Ireland 1991-2001
Exploring the implications of changing census output geographies for the measurement of residential segregation: the example of Northern Ireland 1991-2001
One problem in analysing social and demographic change through time using census data arises from differences between censuses in the size and shape of the geographical units used to output data. Failure to correct for changing output geographies may lead to unknown and possibly large biases when comparing different censuses. The paper addresses this issue using the example of residential segregation in Northern Ireland (NI). It has two main objectives. Firstly, by recompiling 2001 NI census data on 1991 census output geographies it assesses the sensitivity of indices of residential segregation to these changes in geographical units. Secondly, it suggests a method by which census analysts can assess how sensitive their results are to changing output geographies when they are unable to correct for these changes and must work with the data ‘as they are’. A subsidiary aim is to contribute to the evidence base on residential segregation in NI. The paper finds that indices of residential segregation are insensitive to changes in output geographies between 1991 and 2001. The reason suggested for this is that the units in each zonal geography are smaller than the spatial scale over which population counts are positively autocorrelated. The use of spatially-weighted segregation indices is advanced as a generalisable means of learning about the geographical patterning of population in different censuses. It is argued that these insights combined with knowledge of the size of geographical units used in each census can help researchers elsewhere judge how sensitive their results might be changing census output geographies through time.
census analysis, modifiable areal unit problem, output geographies, residential segregation, spatial statistics
0964-1998
1-16
Shuttleworth, Ian
a9fde039-0085-4046-8630-528fe79ab14e
Lloyd, Chris
a081e6e3-db36-49f6-9e27-14ac48684c5d
Martin, David
e5c52473-e9f0-4f09-b64c-fa32194b162f
Shuttleworth, Ian
a9fde039-0085-4046-8630-528fe79ab14e
Lloyd, Chris
a081e6e3-db36-49f6-9e27-14ac48684c5d
Martin, David
e5c52473-e9f0-4f09-b64c-fa32194b162f

Shuttleworth, Ian, Lloyd, Chris and Martin, David (2011) Exploring the implications of changing census output geographies for the measurement of residential segregation: the example of Northern Ireland 1991-2001. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 174 (1), 1-16. (doi:10.1111/j.1467-985X.2010.00647.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

One problem in analysing social and demographic change through time using census data arises from differences between censuses in the size and shape of the geographical units used to output data. Failure to correct for changing output geographies may lead to unknown and possibly large biases when comparing different censuses. The paper addresses this issue using the example of residential segregation in Northern Ireland (NI). It has two main objectives. Firstly, by recompiling 2001 NI census data on 1991 census output geographies it assesses the sensitivity of indices of residential segregation to these changes in geographical units. Secondly, it suggests a method by which census analysts can assess how sensitive their results are to changing output geographies when they are unable to correct for these changes and must work with the data ‘as they are’. A subsidiary aim is to contribute to the evidence base on residential segregation in NI. The paper finds that indices of residential segregation are insensitive to changes in output geographies between 1991 and 2001. The reason suggested for this is that the units in each zonal geography are smaller than the spatial scale over which population counts are positively autocorrelated. The use of spatially-weighted segregation indices is advanced as a generalisable means of learning about the geographical patterning of population in different censuses. It is argued that these insights combined with knowledge of the size of geographical units used in each census can help researchers elsewhere judge how sensitive their results might be changing census output geographies through time.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 28 July 2010
Published date: January 2011
Keywords: census analysis, modifiable areal unit problem, output geographies, residential segregation, spatial statistics
Organisations: Geography, Geography & Environment, PHEW – S (Spatial analysis and modelling), Population, Health & Wellbeing (PHeW)

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 152257
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/152257
ISSN: 0964-1998
PURE UUID: 54751b32-e264-4af2-b17b-00464fd3e5e9
ORCID for David Martin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0397-0769

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Date deposited: 14 May 2010 14:22
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:36

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Contributors

Author: Ian Shuttleworth
Author: Chris Lloyd
Author: David Martin ORCID iD

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