[1] The Latvian Social Science Data Archive (LSSDA) is being developed by the staff of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology (IFS), University of Latvia. It is the largest scientific sociological center in Latvia. In 2001 researchers working at the Institute received 50 percent of the grants financed by the Latvian Council of Science for Sociology. The Institute’s specialists can handle the most complex research projects and also offer high-quality analysis of research results. Most of the Institute’s computers are connected to the Internet a fact which allows researchers to use databases in Latvia and abroad. The Institute’s Intranet is being developed at present.
[2] IFS sociologists regularly participate in key projects funded by the World Bank and other international organizations. At present they are taking part in the following international sociological survey projects:
[3] The general accessibility of results and conclusions is a very important issue in sociology, not only because data and conclusions often become outdated very quickly, but also because a lack of comparative data makes correct interpretation quite difficult.
[4] As the owners and users of data collections, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology researchers are interested in developing the Data Archive and depositing their study results and datasets for several reasons:
[5] On the whole, the science of sociology receives very little funding in Latvia. Only ten sociology grants were provided by the Latvian Science Council in 2001, i.e. a number which is insufficient to ensure development of the science. The LSSDA is currently being developed with the financial support of the Latvian Science Council as an applied sociology project. Compared with other data archives, the facilities of the LSSDA are rather limited due to financial reasons. The funding which the Archive now receives is sufficient to ensure that it continues and that maintenance and accessibility questions are resolved. However, the current level of funding is unable to ensure rapid development.
[6] The LSSDA has received two international grants for technical equipment, one from the SOROS Foundation in Latvia and the other quite recently from the UNESCO/ MOST Participation Program (2001). The main goals of this Program are to establish links between social scientists and decision makers, and facilitate interdisciplinary research projects in order to further the balanced development and democratization of society. The aims of these projects are as follows:
[7] Fulfillment of these tasks will enable the Archive to develop links between social scientists on the one hand and society, including decision-makers, on the other. Promoting access to the survey results will give the media, self-government and state institution representatives a better understanding of social processes.
[8] The following data collections are now being developed:
[9] The bibliographic file already has more than 1,000 entries covering the period from the beginning of this century up to the present day. The work of Latvian social scientists who worked outside Latvia during the Soviet occupation is very widely represented. There is also wide-scale representation of scientists whose works about Latvia have been published in journals in other countries.
[10] The code books are being established in accordance with generally accepted international requirements, and include information about the distribution of responses. The research descriptions include information provided by data depositors.
[11] The Archive also provides easier access to other archives, electronic libraries and other information channels in foreign countries. This will allow social scientists and other interested parties to gain access to the information that they need.
[12] Most of the Archive’s information is available in English. Limitations on the accessibility of information will be implemented only insofar as it is necessary to ensure the observation of ethical norms and the protection of copyright. The strategy for the LSSDA is being established while bearing in mind the tendency for the overall volume of data to increase, as well as potential changes in information technologies which could affect work with databases. The goals of the LSSDA are to improve the quality of services and provide new types of data, both from Latvia and other countries, and to make work with existing data bases easier. It is also planned that the Archive will provide training and consultation on data storage and documentation.
[13] Up until 1999 the data collections were accessible only to authorized persons who had SPSS software. One of the urgent tasks of the Archive was to create a data analysis facility for a wider range of persons concerned, especially students of sociology and other social sciences. Cooperation with the Swedish Social Science Data Service (University of Gothenburg) has allowed us to take the first step towards solving this task quickly and with a minimum amount of funds. In 1999 the data from three International Social Survey Program (ISSP) modules (National Identity, Role of Government, Religion) were documented and stored at the Swedish Archive. An agreement has now been reached regarding the possibility of using this documentation system to record further studies.
[14] Users of the Latvian Archive can explore study descriptions, questionnaires and code books on the Latvian website and then perform necessary online data analysis (cross-tabulation, regression and correlation) of the three above-mentioned Latvian ISSP surveys which are archived in the Swedish Data Service. The same Swedish ISSP surveys are also available to our users so that they can compare data from the two countries. One of the prime goals is to master the online data analysis system and to implement it on the LSSDA server.
26 April 2002
