A census is a statistical procedure which can provide detailed information
on demographic characteristics including the fluidity (or stability) of
identities with which a population identifies in a given period of time. A
census also represents a political process which can play an essential role
in ethnic politics, especially when power is distributed on the basis of
numbers. As such, censuses often have results that are contested, and the
case of Macedonia is no exception. This article provides an overview of the
census taking processes in the years following Macedonia’s independence
in 1991, the dynamics and the challenges of the process itself and
implementation of the results, and potential implications for the creation
of identities. The author shows how census politics in Macedonia has been
used as a political tool both in inter- and intra-ethnic relations, presenting
ethnic political elites as true defenders of the interests of their respective
communities. Moreover, it shows how the census taking process has
generated tensions, fear, lack of trust, and reification of ethnic
demographics. The author demonstrates that there is a lack of political
will on the part of policymakers to move forward in conducting a new
census and creating relevant policies that will enhance the lives of
individuals.