Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Collective terminology to describe the minority ethnic population: the persistence of confusion and ambiguity in usage

Aspinall, Peter J. (2002) Collective terminology to describe the minority ethnic population: the persistence of confusion and ambiguity in usage. Sociology, 36 (4). pp. 803-816. ISSN 0038-0385. (doi:10.1177/003803850203600401) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:667)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003803850203600401

Abstract

A wide range of terminology is used, often interchangeably, to describe the minority ethnic group population as a whole and major segments of it.While some terms have been extended to give clarity, as in ‘Asian, Black and other minority ethnic’, much in this lexicon remains cumbersome or ambiguous in usage. Further, white minority groups such as the Irish frequently get omitted in the category shuffle, creating ‘injustices of recognition’. Imprecision in terminology can equally apply to ‘pan-ethnic’ terms like ‘Asian’ and ‘Black’, the specific terms having the potential to describe quite different populations in the absence of explanation about the concept being measured and method of assignment. The use of terminology that is precisely defined and acceptable to those being described is advocated.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/003803850203600401
Uncontrolled keywords: Asian • Black • collective terminology • minority ethnic • pan ethnic • 2001 Census
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: Samantha Osborne
Date Deposited: 19 Dec 2007 18:24 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:39 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/667 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Aspinall, Peter J..

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.