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Data Review

Open Access Views icon 9

Data Review of the Indices of Social Development

Version 1.0, published: Aug. 28, 2025.

Luca Marie Bauer


Main category: Civil Society and Interest Groups
Curated by: Oksana Chorna
Additional categories: Social Policy
Luca Marie Bauer (2025): Data Review of the Indices of Social Development (published on International Institute of Social Studies), v. 1.0, Discuss Data, https://doi.org/10.48320/32B2F614-A067-432D-BA2F-B56E13C2A79B

Description

The Indices of Social Development (ISD), developed by the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), provide a comprehensive dataset for assessing social development across 222 countries from 1990 to 2020 (as of August 2025). By aggregating 275 indicators from 30 sources, the ISD capture six key dimensions: 1) Civic Activism, 2) Clubs and Associations, 3) Intergroup Cohesion, 4) Interpersonal Safety and Trust, 5) Gender Equality, and 6) Inclusion of Minorities. Using the nonparametric matching percentiles method, the ISD mitigate biases from small samples and incomplete data, while applying five-year averages to reduce outlier effects. Despite innovations, limitations remain, including reliance on national-level data, multi-year smoothing, and single-source dependencies in some indices. Recent updates expand coverage and integrate digital activism, but structural challenges persist. The ISD offer valuable, publicly accessible tools for comparative and longitudinal analysis, while requiring critical reflection on data completeness and interpretative limits.

Countries

Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Estonia Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Moldova Other Russia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan

Keywords

Civic Activism Social Development Clubs And Associations Intergroup Cohesion Interpersonal Safety And Trust Gender Equality Inclusion Of Minorities

Language of data

English

Disciplines

Anthropology Development Studies Economics Gender Studies Political Science Security Studies Sociology

Methods of data collection

Aggregation Of Existing Indicators From Established International Sources (E.G. World Values Survey) Five-Year Averages Matching Percentiles Method

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