Indicators of migration - on measuring the scale and types of migration

The precondition for measuring migration precisely in sociological terms is the precise and clear definition of the concept and the possibility of operationalising the phenomenon of migration adequately. The existing migration statistics can not achieve this for many different reasons; it is a neglected area of official statistics. Migration processes must not be examined by statistics in a one-dimensional way; they concern a complex network of causes of migration and forms of migration.

Germany's official migration statistics shows various shortcomings, in particular with regard to methodology. In addition to that, figures are frequently used incorrectly in political discourse.

In the context of this project, theoretically sound indicators are developed which allow migration to be measured adequately. The project does not focus solely on officially recorded migration, but also looks into non-documented, illegal migration flows which elude statistical registration.

Publication: Lederer, Harald W.: Indikatoren der Migration. Zur Messung des Umfangs und der Arten von Migration in Deutschland unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Ehegatten und Familiennachzugs sowie der illegalen Migration, efms Bamberg 2004