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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Parish Registers: A Challenge for African Historical Demography
Authors:Siiskonen, HarriISNI
Taskinen, Anssi
Notkola, VeijoISNI
Year:2005
Periodical:History in Africa
Volume:32
Pages:385-402
Language:English
Geographic terms:Africa
Namibia
Subjects:historical sources
demographic history
Miscellaneous (i.e. Demography, Refugees, Sports)
History and Exploration
Religion and Witchcraft
External link:http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/history_in_africa/v032/32.1siiskonen.pdf
Abstract:This paper discusses limitations, pitfalls and opportunities related to sources used in African historical demography. The paper first reviews the conventional sources - population counts, censuses and surveys - and then presents an old but seldom-used group of sources, viz. Christian parish registers. The usability of parish registers is discussed through a concrete research project based on data produced since the late 19th century in the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). Parish registers make it possible to use direct methods to analyse population development in African societies as early as the early colonial period. Despite several weaknesses related to their use, parish registers have proved to be more reliable sources for historical demography than the early population counts and censuses. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]
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