Course Details

The objective of this course is to provide the participants with a thorough background on survey methods for comparative measurement of socio-demographic background variables. The emphasis will be on ensuring equivalence in the elaboration of survey questionnaires. Practical and theoretical considerations for the design and implementation of fieldwork instruments aimed to compare European countries will be discussed. In international comparing survey research the researchers need specific techniques for transferring variables from one national context to another. During the last decade the techniques of translation were developed very effective. Different national census offices and different networks of survey researchers established their procedures. In harmonizing background variables for comparative survey research techniques were discussed but only a small number of accepted measurement instruments are available. The course deals with techniques, procedures and experiences in harmonizing socio-demographic variables.

Juergen H.P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik, PhD in Sociology at University of Hamburg, Habilitation in Sociology at University of Cologne, since 2004 extraordinary professor at University of Giessen, is expert adviser for survey research and researcher at the GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Department: "Center for Survey Design and Methodology" in Mannheim, Germany. In the 1980s he developed the Socio-Demographic Standards for Germany together with the national statistical office of Germany, the German market research association and the German association for academic social research. Since the end of the 1990s he is doing research on harmonizing socio-demographic/socio-economic background variables for international comparative survey research. Together with C. Wolf he is the editor of the book: "Advances in Cross-National Comparison. A European Working Book for Demographic and Socio-Economic Variables".

Uwe Warner, PhD in Social Sciences at University of Giessen, is "conseiller scientifique" at the "Centre d'Etudes de Population, de Pauvreté et de Politiques Socio-Economiques / International Network for Studies in Technology, Environment, Alternatives, Development (CEPS/INSTEAD)" in Differdange, Luxembourg. He is the national coordinator of ESS in Luxembourg; he was responsible for the Luxembourgian data collection and data integration into ECHP; he is in charge of carrying out various national surveys in Luxembourg. His main research interests are standardization and harmonization of demographic and socio-economic background variables for international comparison, cross-country comparative survey research, and international studies on income distribution, poverty and social welfare.