Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Migration and the Population Census in Asia and the Pacific: Issues, Questions and Debate

1987; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 21; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/019791838702100409

1747-7379

Ronald Skeldon,

Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

Skeldon discusses the main issues to be resolved when designing questions and strategies to collect migration-related data. The strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches are assessed in the light of the data collected by countries in the Asia-Pacific region during the 1980 round of Censuses. Each country has its own particular needs and must devise its questions accordingly. However, there are a few general principles that are likely to improve the quality of the basic data collected. Some of these principles follow. 1) Detailed information on migration can only be collected through specialized surveys. The census data must be able to provide information on the basic spatial and temporal structures of migration and only upon these can detailed subsequent work proceed. 2) De facto enumeration will not only provide a better quality of information, but will also capture a higher proportion of total human mobility than de jure enumeration. A question of last previous residence and a finely coded duration of residence question are likely to generate the most useful migration data. For reasons of simplicity, continuity, and utility, the question on birthplace is a fundamental census question. 3) In order not to overload census questionnaires, additional information on migration is best collected either through specialized census sample modules or through separate sample surveys.