Selected 2004 Papers

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Ethnicity measures, intermarriage and social policy

Callister, Paul (2004) Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 23: 109-140
Read 'Ethnicity measures, intermarriage and social policy' here.

Abstract: Ethnicity is a key variable in social science research and policy making. Yet, for many individuals in New Zealand society ethnicity is a fluid characteristic. Against a backdrop of historical debates about the measurement of ethnicity, this paper initially explores some of the recent changes that have taken place in the recording of ethnicity in the New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings.

There is particular emphasis on how individuals belonging to more than one ethnic group have been recorded and reported in official publications. Next, several key changes recommended by Statistics New Zealand in its 2004 review of ethnicity statistics are outlined. Finally, there is a discussion of some of the implications for social scientists and policy makers of recognising dual and multi-ethnicity.

A double burden or the best of both worlds? A research note on simultaneous paid work and childcare in New Zealand

Callister, Paul and Singley, Susan G. (2004) Working Paper, November 2004, download 'A double burden or the best of both worlds?' [215 KB PDF]

Abstract: Several trends in industrialised countries point to the possibility that engaging in paid work and childcare simultaneously may be an adaptive strategy used by an increasing number of parents. Data from the New Zealand time use survey, undertaken between July 1998 and June 1999, indicates that nearly 24 percent of working parents recorded undertaking simultaneous paid work and childcare.

Almost all of the simultaneous childcare is passive rather than active childcare. When both passive and active childcare are considered, overall employed fathers were slightly more likely than employed mothers to record a period of simultaneous care and paid work. The data showed that just over a third of employed mothers and fathers undertook a spell of simultaneous work in weekends, while during the week the figures were a fifth for fathers and a quarter for mothers.

When averaged across all parents in paid work, the spells of simultaneous childcare and paid work were relatively short. However, a closer examination indicates that for those who do undertake such work, the spells are relatively long. Employers, the self-employed and, connected with this, people in agricultural occupations, stand out as being most likely to undertake such simultaneous work.

Most parents who undertake simultaneous paid work and childcare do so at home rather than at the workplace. Correspondingly, such work is most likely to take place in the weekends, evenings and, for some groups, the early morning. These are times children are most likely to be at home.

Ethnic classification, intermarriage, and mortality: Some methodological issues in relation to ethnic comparisons in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Callister, P. and Blakely, T. (2004) Working Paper, Wellington School of Medicine.

Abstract: In New Zealand, there is considerable interest in measuring disparities between the indigenous Mäori population and other New Zealand residents. While at times non-Mäori are treated as one group, comparisons often go beyond the two groups and assess the relative positions of Mäori, New Zealand Europeans, Pacific people and, to a lesser extent, Asian people. However, neither the two group nor the wider group comparisons are straightforward. This is due to some major methodological challenges involved in identifying and measuring ethnicity and in then assigning people to discrete categories.

In the past health researchers have made single ethnic group mortality comparisons when, in fact, a significant number of individuals are now recording dual or multiple ethnicities. In this presentation we examine mortality rates for people who self-identify as just one ethnic group compared to people with multiple self-identified ethnic groups. For example, we compare Pacific mortality when respondents recorded only Pacific ethnicity relative to those Pacific people who recorded at least one other ethnic group in addition to Pacific.

In undertaking this exploration, there are a number of aims. One is to stimulate discussion regarding the recommendations of Statistics New Zealand's Review of the Measurement of Ethnicity. Another is to assess how useful such complex ethnicity and ancestry data are for monitoring and measuring health status, and research more generally. Finally, the paper is designed to encourage discussion and theorizing about the differences and disparities presented in this paper and, ultimately if they are to be overcome, discussion and theorizing about the reasons behind them.

The future of work within households: Understanding household-level changes in the distribution of hours of paid work

Callister, P. (2004) Report prepared for the Department of Labour, Wellington.

An abstract and the full technical report on changes in working hours of New Zealand households [488 KB PDF] can be downloaded from the Department of Labour's Future of Work website.

Polarisation of Employment, 1986-2002: New Zealand in the international context

Singley, S. G. and Callister, P. (2004) Ministry of Social Development Working Paper 06/04, Read 'Polarisation of Employment' here.

Abstract: In recent years, researchers have identified a growth in both "work-poor" and "work-rich" households in several OECD countries, including New Zealand. This growth indicates an increasing concentration of paid employment at the household level - "polarisation" - which represents a divergence between individual- and household-based measures of joblessness.

Several interrelated changes in the economy and the family have probably contributed to the growth in household joblessness and employment inequality internationally:

The contrasting concerns of controlling the growth of jobless households on the one hand and the growth of working-but-poor households on the other demonstrate the social policy challenges posed by the changes in the economy and family outlined above. Household joblessness and associated employment polarisation present challenges to social policy makers concerned about achieving social equality, alleviating poverty, distributing the benefits of employment across the population, and controlling the costs to the state of government-funded income transfers to individuals and families.

New Zealand's overall trends in household joblessness and employment inequality over the 1986-2002 period generally followed trends in the health of the economy. In the mid-to-late 1990s, it appeared that household jobless rates would remain high despite the growth of employment amongst individuals. By 2002, however, the strong economic growth reduced household joblessness back to near the level seen in 1986.

However, other trends highlight areas of potential concern.

Taken together, our results suggest the importance for policy makers of keeping track of household joblessness in addition to standard measures of unemployment and joblessness at the individual level. Future research should be directed at understanding emerging patterns of population disparities in household joblessness, as well as the dynamics of household employment inequality.

Time-use data and work-life policy development

Callister, P. (2004) Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 22: 108-118.
Read 'Time-use data and work-life policy development' here.

Abstract: Work-life balance is a relatively recent social policy concern in New Zealand. This research note illustrates how the New Zealand Time Use Survey can provide an understanding of the way New Zealanders manage their work and family lives. It shows that while a significant proportion of individuals undertake some paid work outside of core Monday-to-Friday daylight hours, New Zealand is still far from becoming a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week society. Equally, while many workers undertake some work at home, home has not become the primary workplace for most New Zealanders.

The data also show that, for some workers, long hours of paid work do not automatically mean little time spent with children. Using these and other examples, the paper demonstrates that there needs to be some caution when developing simple indicators of work-life balance. Finally, some suggestions for further time-use research are set out.

Maori/non-Maori intermarriage

Callister, P. (2004) New Zealand Population Review, 29(2) 89-105.
Download intermarriage dataset 'ethnic intermarriage dataset' [85KB MS Excel]

Abstract: Past research on marriage between Maori and non-Maori suggests that a significant number of Maori had a non-Maori partner. Data from the 1996 census indicates that such ethnic intermarriage is continuing. Around half of partnered Maori men and women have non-Maori partners. Amongst those partnered Maori affiliating only with the Maori ethnic group, a third have non-Maori partners. In a household setting, such intermarriage potentially brings together the "two worlds" of Maori and non-Maori.

Seeking an ethnic identity: is "New Zealander" a valid ethnic group?

Callister, P (2004) Working paper, February.
Download paper 'New Zealander Ethnic Group' [167KB PDF]

Abstract: In the 1986 Census of Population and Dwellings just over 20,000 individuals classified themselves as "New Zealanders" in response to the ethnic origin question. By 2001, over 89,000 individuals recorded "New Zealander" responses to the ethnic group question. However, despite actively choosing not to tick the census form category "New Zealand European", these people were subsequently reclassified by Statistics New Zealand as "New Zealand Europeans", and ultimately "Europeans", in reportage. In this paper I explore why some respondents are choosing to call themselves "New Zealanders".

I also explore whether the "New Zealander" response potentially creates problems for Maori/non-Maori comparisons. The paper concludes that if ethnicity is seen to be both culturally constructed and reflective of individual choice, as generally agreed in New Zealand, the practice of recoding "New Zealander" type responses as "New Zealand European" and, ultimately, "European", has been conceptually incorrect. It also suggests that through denying individuals their choice of ethnicity, Statistics New Zealand has placed itself in a position of making a political decision rather than an ethnically neutral based statistical decision.

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