The U.S. census is in trouble. This is why it’s crucial to what the nation knows about itself.

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United States

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Author(s): Henry FarrellPublication Date: May 15, 2017Publication Type: Other WritingThe U.S. census has recently been the subject of political argument. After contentious discussions before a congressional panel, John Thompson, the director of the Census Bureau, stepped down last week. To provide background information on the census and what it does, I interviewed Kenneth Prewitt, the Carnegie professor of public affairs and the vice president for global centers at Columbia University, and a former director of the Census Bureau, about how the census works, why it has become political and why it remains important.