1. A proposal to preserve, integrate and manage access to anonymized census samples of the Official Statistical Agencies of the Arab States in cooperation with the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics * * * Robert McCaa, Professor of Population History University of Minnesota, rmccaa@umn.edu http://international.ipums.org additional information at: www.hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa/ipums-global rmccaa@umn.edu http://international.ipums.orgrmccaa@umn.edu http://international.ipums.org

2. Invitation to participate: http://international.ipums.org A global collaboratory to (1) preserve microdata and documentation, (2) integrate microdata and metadata (3) and manage access to anonymized, integrated samples for researchers and policy makers— regardless of country of birth, residence or citizenship—without cost. Funded by: National Science Foundation & National Institutes of Health (USA) http://international.ipums.org

3. IPUMS-International (ISI – Lisbon, 2007) dark green = disseminating (26 countries, 80 samples, 200mpr) green = harmonizing (32 countries, 94 samples, 185mpr) lightest green = negotiating Mollweide projection

4. http://international.ipums.org Apply for access (see form and conditions of use) Study integrated documentation (variables) Link to Official Statistical Agency home pages Examine integrated metadata (samples) Construct a custom-tailored request: select countries, years, sub-populations, & variables

5. Who Uses the Microdata? Examples from China » Affiliation (Mar. 2007): University professors and graduate students from: » China Center for Economic Research, Peking University » Chinese Academy of Social Sciences » Guanghua School of Management, Peking University » Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences » Institute of Population and Labor Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences » Jinan University » Management and Administration Institute » Nankai University » Renmin University of China » Sociology Department, Nanjing University » The Institute of Population Research, Peking University » Tsinghua University » University of International Business and Economics » University of Science and Technology of China, etc.

6. 1. Data recovery. Example: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (1981 census, 276 tapes to recover) >3,000 tapes recovered: 1971 Germany 1980 Mexico, Mali 76, Sudan 73 and many more Microdata on this tape were recovered!!

7. 2. International and chronological integration of microdata and metadata: methods and procedures » Integrated microdata » Challenge: retain all significant detail, integrate everything » Solution: composite coding scheme (multiple digits, each carries meaning—think ISCO) » Use international standards where appropriate » Integrated metadata (documentation) » Summarize and describe commonalities » Explain unique characteristics » Dynamically generate metadata according to needs (countries, samples, variables) of individual researcher using XML database

8. Plan: international and chronological integration of census samples » Preserve and integrate microdata from each census round: 2000, 1990, 1980, and earlier, if extant » The Minnesota Population Center » licenses microdata for fee of US$5,000 per census » imposes confidentiality protections so that samples may be supplied to bona-fide researchers world-wide » integrates both microdata and metadata (2-3 years of work) » disseminates, on a restricted-access basis, to users free of charge » advises NSOs on users, uses and publications » Note: Original source files are never accessible to researchers

9. 3. Managing access to microdata The IPUMS-International Case Study » Why is IPUMS a good practice? » Transparency of access » Fully anonymized, thorough documentation » Integrated data available without charge » Sanctions for violations of user license » Cited as “good practice” by UNECE Task Force on Microdata Access (2007) » Cited as “best practice” by Dennis Trewin (former Australian Statistician and chair UNECE task force on microdata access)—after 3 day on-site inspection (Nov ’07) » What are IPUMS’ strengths? » What are IPUMS’ benefits?

10. Researcher Conditions of Use License

11. Conditions of Use License (acceptance is indicated by clicking each individual box)

12. Managing access to microdata: The IPUMS case study: strengths » What are IPUMS’ strengths? » Recover historical microdata and documentation » NSOs retain ownership; may recall data if misused » Metadata and microdata are fully integrated » Security of data and anonymization measures » Equitable access, without cost; freedom of inquiry » Sanctions are strong and clearly spelled out » Sustained funding » What are IPUMS’ benefits?

13. Managing access to microdata: The IPUMS case study: benefits » What are IPUMS’ benefits? » Greater credibility of census operations & statistics » More stakeholders » Better use of census data » Empirically based policies » Equitable access to census microdata for researchers regardless of country of residence » Participation in a global research initiative » License fee of US$5,000 per census

14. Participating Official Statistical Agencies Country List (Nov. 2007, total =73; 62% of world pop.) » Africa (14): Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea (Conakry), Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda » America (23): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela » Arab States (4): Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan » Asia (15): Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam » Europe (17): Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

15. Invitation to participate » 1. Endorse Memorandum of Understanding » 2. Recover pre-2000 census microdata and documentation » Shipping and recovery costs at project expense » 3. Integrate microdata and documentation » Entrust microdata and documentation (forms, instructions, codebooks) » Bill for license fee ($5,000 per census; including pre-2000) » MPC anonymizes and integrates microdata sample from each census with corresponding metadata » 4. In 2 years (before 57 th ISI), we would propose to: » Recover all data from old tapes (that are recoverable) » Integrate both microdata and metadata for the selected samples and subset of variables » Launch integrated samples with ~40 other countries » Benefits of participation: many new users; more comparative research; much new knowledge; institutional credibility

16. IPUMS-International, 57 th ISI (Aug. 2009) dark green = disseminating (45 countries, 150 samples, 500mpr) green = harmonizing (?? countries, ?? samples, ???mpr) lightest green = negotiating Mollweide projection