Metodologia Powszechnego Spisu Ludności I Mieszkań 2011 r. w zakresie pytań etnicznych

The aim of the study is to assess the methodology of 2011 Population and Housing Census in terms of ethnic questions. The study focused on questions concerning national minorities and ethnic and regional dialects aside from issues of religion. Assessing census methodology legal regulations were discussed, including relation between census estimates and statutory rights of national minorities. In this topic, attention was paid to the protection of “privacy” and the confidentiality of personal data, the reliability of ethnic data obtained in censuses and the need for their acquisition. Afterwards relationship between international recommendations and the way the recognition of ethnic questions in 2011 census was presented. With regard to methodological issues, first methods of conducting population censuses were discussed. Comparing the traditional method, and the one based on administrative records, the attention was drawn to the fulfillment of the UN Recommendations as concerns basic characteristics of the census. Focused on register-based approach, the possibilities of estimating information relating to national and ethnic minorities were discussed. Attention was paid to the consequences of defining different categories of the census population and sample survey conducted within the 2011 census. Possibilities of small area statistics and calibration were presented. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of estimating information on national and ethnic minorities.