While social scientists all argue that 'population matters', and environmental scientists assume that 'matters of population are important' in their scenarios, demographers struggle to explain what is the matter with population. Those who collect data are aware of the wide range of issues associated with data quality, and at times this awareness makes them embarrassed to the extent that they hide the errors from data users. The analysts who rely on census data to estimate the classic engines of demographic change - fertility, mortality and migration - often ignore these errors when they discuss population size and growth. They need more sophisticated understandings of the enumeration results if they are to educate policy makers on the ways to assess data validity and explain inconsistencies in measured and calculated estimates. In facing the conundrums of demographic analysis it seems clear that politicians have little interest in the techniques of demography. Is this the fault of the demographers or the politicians? What can we do about it?

Emeritus Professor Terence Hull, ADSRI