Tma_04

TMA 04 Making Social Lives Word Count – Introduction What is the role of the Census' Why do we have a census' “A census is a count of all people and households in the country. It provides population statistics from a national to neighbourhood level for government, local authorities, business and communities.” - http://www.ons.gov.uk/census/index.html (Accessed 27th June 2010) The census is a tool the state uses to govern its people. Looks at birth rates, gender, health etc. Accurate information on people and where they live and their needs. Can be divided into parts i.e. gender, age etc. The census is a way in which a state records statistical information about its population. The census takes the form of a number of questions which a person completes and returns. The information recorded is used in a variety of ways by the state. This can include funding for specific groups or is sub divided into various sub divisions or parts allowing the state to have broad information on the makeup of the population and compare the different groups that coexist within the population i.e. gender, religious affiliations etc. There are 2 views that exist for looking at the role of the census. Both views look at the purpose or the role of the census. The census happens every 10 years and includes the entire population. Paragraph 1 The objectivist interpretation is to accurately reflect the population independently of the census itself. The view of the objectivist regarding the role of the census is that the census is used by the state as a tool for ‘counting noses’. That is the population exists and is a physical ‘thing’ to be counted. The view is that the population are the people of the state and are therefore already in existence and need to be counted and classified. It has also been the view that “It is through the practice of identification like the census that makes people ‘legible’ and governable.” (Scott (1999), P401). Therefore the census collects the information for the government or state to decide in which way it will govern and who it is governing. Figures are objective Paragraph 2 Constructivism is the view that the population is constructed using the information collated from the census and that individuals and groups participate in the creation of the population. “Population is the outcome of the census rather than an object that already exists”. “You only count and become part of the population through inclusion in the census and its categories”. (P. 411) With the constructivist view population is socially constructed by the state, in the last census there was an inclusion for the first time regarding religion. However in the last census not aspects of modern life were covered, the last census did not mention gay couples, those un-married but co-habiting. This therefore led a lot of people to choose a category that they were actually linked with and therefore giving a false information on the population. Paragraph 3 Both the constructivist and the objectivist view of the census is that it serves to allow the state to govern. However both have different view points on how this should be done as mentioned above. Paragraph 4 Population already in existence Population created by the participation in the census In 2011, possibly the last paper based census will take place in the UK. Although this will not be completely ‘paper based’, the view is that the state will no longer need to undertake a costly and time consuming review of the population. This is because the information held by local government and central government will in the future be so comprehensive for each individual subject that there will be no need to for the census in its current format. With the future way for the state to collect data, people will be included whether they know it or not. Each time they are asked to complete an application for a state department i.e. passport, health care etc. Conclusion Self Reflection References http://www.ons.gov.uk/census/index.html (Accessed 27th June 2010) Scott, (1999) , Making Social Lives 2009, The Open University Press