Disciplining Statistics

Schweber Libby Schweber

Description

In Disciplining Statistics Libby Schweber compares the science of population statistics in England and France during the nineteenth century, demonstrating radical differences in the interpretation and use of statistical knowledge. Through a comparison of vital statistics and demography, Schweber describes how the English government embraced statistics, using probabilistic interpretations of statistical data to analyze issues related to poverty and public health. The French were far less enthusiastic. Political and scientific elites in France struggled with the "reality" of statistical populations, wrestling with concerns about the accuracy of figures that aggregated heterogeneous groups such as the rich and poor and rejecting probabilistic interpretations.Tracing the introduction and promotion of vital statistics and demography, Schweber identifies the institutional conditions that account for the contrasting styles of reasoning. She shows that the different reactions to statistics stemmed from different criteria for what counted as scientific knowledge. The French wanted certain knowledge, a one-to-one correspondence between observations and numbers. The English adopted an instrumental approach, using the numbers to influence public opinion and evaluate and justify legislation.Schweber recounts numerous attempts by vital statisticians and demographers to have their work recognized as legitimate scientific pursuits. While the British scientists had greater access to government policy makers, and were able to influence policy in a way that their French counterparts were not, ultimately neither the vital statisticians nor the demographers were able to institutionalize their endeavors. By 1885, both fields had been superseded by new forms of knowledge. Disciplining Statistics highlights how the development of "scientific" knowledge was shaped by interrelated epistemological, political, and institutional considerations.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Inglaterra
• England
• France

Informations

• Publié par: Duke University Press
• Date de parution: 28 novembre 2006
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780822388524
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

DISCIPLINING STATISTICS

POLITICS, HISTORY, AND CULTURE A series from the International Institute attheUniversityofMichigan

SERIES EDITORS

GeorgeSteinmetzandJuliaAdams

SERIES EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Fernando Coronil David Laitin MamadouDioufLydiaLiu Michael Dutton Julie Skurski Geo√EleyMargaretSomers FatmaMügeGöcekAnnLauraStoler Nancy Rose Hunt Katherine Verdery Andreas Kalyvas Elizabeth Wingrove Webb Keane

Sponsored by the International Institute at the

University of Michigan and published by Duke

University Press, this series is centered around cultural and historical studies of power, politics, and the state—a field that cuts across the disciplines of history, sociology, anthropology, political science, and cultural studies. The focus on the relationship betweenstateandculturerefersbothtoamethodo- logical approach—the study of politics and the state usingculturalistmethods—andasubstantiveonethat treatssignifyingpracticesasanessentialdimension of politics. The dialectic of politics, culture, and historyfiguresprominentlyinallthebooksselected

for the series.

DISCIPLINING STATISTICS

demography and vital statistics

in france and england, 1830–1885

Libby Schweber

Duke University Press

Durham & London

2006

∫2006 Duke University Press

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper$

Typeset in Carter & Cone Galliard by Keystone Typesetting, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data appear on the

last printed page of this book.

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments ∞ ix Introduction ∞ 1

PART IThe Struggle for Disciplinary Recognition: Why ‘‘Invent’’ a Discipline in Nineteenth-Century France?

1 The ‘‘Invention’’ of Demography, 1853–1855 ∞ 35 2 The Neglect of Demography, 1855–1867 ∞ 49 3 The Reinvention of Demography, 1867–1878 ∞ 67

PART IIThe Institutionalization of Vital Statistics in England: How to ‘‘Secure’’ a Discipline in Nineteenth-Century England

4 The Invention of Vital Statistics, 1830–1837 ∞ 93 5 Vital Statistics as an Instrument of Social Reform ∞ 105

PART IIIThe Institutionalization of Demography in France: How to ‘‘Secure’’ a Discipline in Nineteenth-Century France

6 Discipline Formation at Last ∞ 135 7 Limits to Institutionalization ∞ 157

PART IVThe Struggle to Retain Disciplinary Recognition: How to ‘‘Defend’’ a Discipline in Nineteenth-Century England

8 The Challenge to Vital Statistics ∞ 179 9 Institutional Transformations and the Introduction of Disciplinary Specialization ∞ 191

Conclusion ∞ 213 Notes ∞ 227 Bibliography ∞ 253 Index ∞ 273

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The journey from questions to data to new questions to analysis and nar- rative has been long and many people have helped along the way, both through their faith in the project and their comments on di√erent ver- sions. My special thanks to Eric Brian, Manali Desai, Marion Fourcade- Gourinchas, Steve Fuller, Sarah Gronim, Nathan Keyfitz, Virag Molnar, Paul André Rosental, Silvan Schweber, Simon Szreter, Chris Winship, Robert Wuthnow, Viviana Zelizer, and the reviewers at Duke University Press. While I did not always adopt their many suggestions, their careful reading and thoughtful comments infinitely improved the manuscript, and I am grateful.