Longitudinal research and ethnic group comparisons, challenges, findings and future possibilities
A lecture by Professor Lucinda Platt, Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education.
Abstract:
The development of longitudinal research methods and resources has dramatically enhanced our understanding of the social world. They have offered new insights into causal processes; and have also revealed the variations in people’s circumstances that occur year on year – and month on month – challenging notions of stable groups such as ‘the poor’ or the ‘unemployed’. At the same time we have begun to have a better understanding of those factors associated with longer durations in a given state, whether poverty, lone parenthood, marriage, or job. It has been pointed out that cross-sectional analysis tends to focus on symptoms whereas longitudinal we know that there are strong associations between being of a particular ethnic group and certain outcomes, such as poverty, educational success, lone parenthood or pension entitlement. We also know from longitudinal research that different social groups face different risks of both ending up adverse or favourable circumstances. However, largely due to relatively small population sizes, till recently, it has been hard relatively hard to explore dynamic process comparatively across ethnic groups. Our knowledge of processes and durations that lead to the associations we observe in cross-sectional data are thus limited.
This lecture outlines the contribution of longitudinal approaches and explores a number of examples which have been able to shed light on comparisons between ethnic groups in dynamic processes. Looking at studies of welfare and poverty dynamics, social mobility, transitions into worklessness, and educational trajectories, it highlights the specific data sources that have been amenable to longitudinal analysis across ethnic groups in the past by providing large sample sizes, such as administrative data and the ONS Longitudinal Study, and moves on to consider longitudinal social surveys that incorporate ethnic minority oversamples, thus extending the possibilities for ethnic group comparisons within longitudinal analysis. The Millennium Cohort Study which will shortly be surveying children born in 2000 for the fifth time at age 11, enables increasing understanding of cross group dynamics and the different educational pathways that emerge across groups, while the new major panel survey, Understanding Society, will enhance our understanding of change, development and transitions across the age range. While facilitating substantial advances in longitudinal research across ethnic groups, limitations nevertheless remain. The lecture concludes with some caveats relating to sources, approaches and interpretation of differences.
Biography
Lucinda Platt is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Millennium Cohort Study based in the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the Institute of Education, University of London. Her research focuses on poverty, ethnicity and inequality, and she has a particular interest in the use of longitudinal data and techniques. She has published widely in academic journals and has carried out numerous research reports for government and NGOs. As well Principal Investigator of the Millennium Cohort Study, a survey of 18,000 children born across the UK in 2000 who are followed over time, she is also leads the ethnicity strand for Understanding Society, the major UK household panel survey which started in 2009.
This event will follow on from the AQMeN Longitudinal Analysis training events being held on the 10th and 11th February and is open to all AQMeN members to attend.
The lecture will run from 3:30 - 5pm and will be followed by a drinks reception.
Venue information
Lecture Theatre B4, Department Applied of Applied Social Science,
Cottrell Building, University of Stirling
Directions to the University of Stirling
Information for anyone who may require accommodation.
