79198 - Demography (6 Cfu)

Learning outcomes

The aim is to give students instruments for understanding and analyzing demographic behavior. Relationships between the processes of population characteristics and the evolution of aggregate demographic and economic and social dynamics are discussed.

Course contents

The course is divided in two modules

Module I

Introduction to population studies. Demographic sources.

Basic instruments of demographic analysis:

evaluation of the growth rate;

analysis of the demographic structure (age and sex);

the demographic transition;

crude and specific demographic rates;

period and cohort analysis;

the Lexis diagram;

the concept of probability of death and the life table.

The evolution of the world population.

Module II

Direct and indirect standardization.

The analysis of fertility.

The analysis of migrations. Demographic and economic consequences of migration.

Human development indicators.

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory textbooks :

• one textbook between:

- Massimo Livi Bacci (1999) Introduzione alla demografia, Loescher Editore, Torino. (chap.: 1-6; chap. 7 (par. 1, 2, 4); chap.9 (par. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6); chap.11 (cenni)).

-Gian Carlo Blangiardo (2006), Elementi di Demografia, Il Mulino, Bologna. (Introduzione, chap.I, II, III (par. 1,2,4,5)).

• and the book:

A. Angeli, S. Salvini, Popolazione e sviluppo nelle regioni del mondo, Il Mulino, 2007 (Chap. I, II, III, X).

Optional readings:

one chapter on choice among chap. VI, VII, VIII e IX A. Angeli, S. Salvini, Popolazione e sviluppo nelle regioni del mondo, Il Mulino, 2007.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and practices

Assessment methods

Written and oral examination . Written examination aims to assess the achievement of the teaching objectives: to measure the consistency, the variation and the population distribution over time and space; to measure and analyze the structural characteristics of the population and the components of population dynamics. The overcoming of written test allows access to the oral test. Final score resumes marks on both tests.

Teaching tools

Power point presentation

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Samoggia

See the website of Rosella Rettaroli