Prakse prikupljanja i korištenja etnički osjetljivih podataka u Hrvatskoj
PRACTICES OF COLLECTING AND USING ETHNIC SENSITIVE DATA IN CROATIA

Author(s): Sanja Klempić Bogadi
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Constitutional Law, Governance, Public Administration, Sociology, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: ethnicity; religion; mother tongue; data; Croatia
Summary/Abstract: Collecting of ethnic sensitive data is often the subject of international debate. The question arises from the appropriateness of collecting this type of data, given that these are very sensitive issues that invade a person’s privacy. The aim of this paper is to study how ethnic sensitive data are collected in Croatia, their availability and use. Ethnic sensitive data include ethnicity, religion, and mother tongue. These characteristics are usually cited as essential for defining ethnic identity. The paper analyzes the way these data are collected in censuses and vital statistics, as well as the availability and possibilities of their use. After the World War II, the question of ethnicity has been present in all censuses, and the mother tongue in all censuses since 1953. The question of religion was asked in the 1953 census, and in the 1991, 2001, and 2011 censuses. Analysis of vital events data showed that ethnicity and religion, but not the mother tongue, were collected. There is a strong interest in ethnic sensitive data among users of official statistics in Croatia and this type of data will continue to be collected. The Census 2021 also foresees questions about ethnicity, religion, and mother tongue. In the last 20 years, we can observe increasing restrictions on the availability of ethnic data. Collecting and existence of this data is essential for the formulation of public policies and the exercise of the rights of national minorities. However, it is extremely important that collecting, depositing, and using of these data comply with the highest international standards.

• Details
• Contents