Generation1.ca CEO and Founder Arundati Dandapani will present at the World Association for Public Opinion Research’s 79th Annual Conference in Mexico City, October 26–29, 2026.
Her paper, Who Speaks for Transnational Publics? Diaspora Circles, Census Microdata and Synthetic Populations in Cross-Cultural Survey Research explores how research can better measure and understand populations whose lives, work, identities and relationships cross national borders. For immigrants and diaspora communities shaping the Americas, belonging and influence extend across source countries and new homelands. How can research capture these connections and whose perspectives remain missing?
Drawing on her work at the intersection of immigrant futures, population measurement and global research, Dandapani will examine the role of diaspora circles, census microdata and synthetic populations in developing more representative and insightful studies. Her presentation will explore methodological considerations and the implications for decisions affecting immigrant communities: who is reached, how experiences are measured, and how findings are interpreted and used.
“I am particularly interested in engaging with global research leaders on the state of measurement, especially among transnational publics and beyond. I look forward to exploring and discussing global turmoil, geopolitical tensions and how we build better, more participant-centred research. I’m also excited to share an inspiring idea I’ve been developing with fellow collaborators around the world, each of us having earned distinguished honours for our groundbreaking research and publications: translating lessons from some of the best data stories of our time into a resource for industry through our organizations and leadership roles.”
Arundati Dandapani, CEO and Founder, Generation1.ca
At its heart is a question of agency: how can research better recognize immigrants as people who shape societies, economies and institutions, as well as people shaped by them? Understanding transnational publics requires attention to the contributions, connections and evolving identities that conventional national boundaries may obscure. You can preview her publication for WAPOR here.
Other presentations in the session will also happen and the session will be chaired by Claire Durand.
Session Name: Reaching the Unreachable: Sampling Hard-to-Find and Transnational Populations
Session ID: 34
Time: 09:00-10:30 AM
Session Chair:Claire Durand, Université de Montréal, Canada
Room:Insurgentes 1
Papers:
Conducting surveys in challenging settings: NORC’s experience in China, Cuba and Russia
Juan Carlos Donoso (NORC at the University of Chicago) – United States
(Non-)Probability-Based Sampling of Ukrainian Refugees in Germany: A Comparative Analysis
Steffen Pötzschke (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) – Germany
Andreas Ette (Federal Institute for Population Research) – Germany
Sabine Zinn (German Institute for Economic Research) – Germany
Manuel Siegert (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) – Germany
Bernd Weiß (University of Duisburg-Essen) – Germany
Yuliya Kosyakova (Institute for Employment Research) – Germany
Conducting Representative Survey Fieldwork in Ultra-Small Populations: Evidence from Greenland
Carsten Broich (Norstat) – North Macedonia
Gökhan Tokay (Norstat) – Denmark
Who Speaks for Transnational Publics? Diaspora Circles, Census Microdata, and Synthetic Populations in Cross-Cultural Survey Research
Arundati Dandapani (Generation1.ca) – Canada
Dandapani is also the Founder and Chair of AAPOR’s Global Research Affinity Group, several of whose members will attend the conference, along with serving on AAPOR’s Executive Council, and being the IEC Chair-Elect currently. This presence offers an opportunity to exchange perspectives across research traditions, strengthen international connections and explore collaborations that advance the representation of diverse publics.
For Generation1.ca, participation extends a commitment to connecting community experience with rigorous research and bringing immigrant voices into the global conversations influencing their futures. To schedule a meeting during this event, please email CEO Arundati at Arundati@generation1.ca.
