Using ethnicity tick-boxes with care

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-02-26 03:00

New Zealand

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

Those collecting or studying ethnicity data should choose their approach based on why and how they're using these data, say the authors of a new review paper. They look at different methods used in Aotearoa for categorising and grouping ethnicity data—for example, counting one person's multiple ethnicities separately, prioritising one, or counting them all together—and when it is best to use each method. They recommend that researchers make sure they maintain the data sovereignty of Indigenous and minority groups, and are transparent about how data were collected and processed when reporting the findings. They also say that interpretations of ethnicity data should be presented in their broader social contexts, like colonialism and racism, so that results aren't wrongly linked with individuals.