79198 - Demography (6 Cfu)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the basic instruments to analyse structural and dynamic aspects of populations and to relate them to the economic system. Particularly, at the end of the course the student is able to measure and analyse population structural characteristics and the interaction of demographic components with economic dynamics.

Course contents

Introduction to population studies.

Sources of demographic data: national and international

Population composition and variation. Relations between demographic dynamics and structures.

- age pyramids

- economic consequences of changing demographic structures

- labor market indexes

Measures of population change

- Population equation

- Population growth models and doubling time

Basic elements of demographic analysis: crude and specific rates, standardization methods.

Fertility and reproduction measures.

The demographic transition.

Age, period and cohort; Lexis diagram, managing data and processes on the diagram. Period and cohort analysis.

Life tables. Life tables conceived as a stationary population. Mortality by cause.

Migration in population analysis.

Readings/Bibliography

Notes of the lectures will be given during the course. It is possible to download them from the web site of the Virtuale platform.

Suggested readings:

- Massimo Livi Bacci (1999) Introduzione alla demografia, Loescher Editore, Torino. (Capitoli: da 1 a 6 (tutto); cap. 7 (paragrafi 1, 2, 4); cap.9 (paragrafi 1, 3, 4, 5, 6); cap.11 (cenni).

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

- A. Angeli, S. Salvini, Popolazione mondiale e sviluppo sostenibile. Crescita, stagnazione e declino. Il Mulino, 2018 (Capitoli I, II, VIII)

Teaching methods

The course participates in the teaching innovation project, so it will follow a hybrid teaching model that includes:

- Classroom lectures

- Lab exercises for demographic data analysis conducted in Excel or other software

- Online lectures designed to increase student engagement through sub-groups collaboration, and to encourage students' critical reworking of concepts learned in frontal lectures

Through the hours of blended teaching, students will learn to reframe and relate the content and concepts learned during the lecture and exercises. Students will also learn how to synthesize research questions, arguments and analytical methodologies used in demographic studies.

The use of multimedia and digital tools, and online teaching via Teams, makes it easier for subgroup work (peer instruction) and presentation of the paper to the class (production of an artifact).

Assessment methods

Group presentations and final written exam

Group presentations will be assessed as an addition to the final exam grade and are designed to test achievement of the following learning objectives:

- Ability to understand and synthesize one or more scientific studies on demographic issues and/or prepare a country sheet containing a summary of the country's demographic characteristics

- Ability to present to the class the synthesis prepared by the group through peer-to-peer collaborations.

The final exam aims at evaluating the achievement of the following learning objectives:

- to know the main international sources of demographic data and calculate the main demographic indicators

- to measure and analyze the components of population dynamics

- knowledge of demographic methods and issues illustrated during the lectures

- ability to employ these methods to analyze and interpret major population dynamics

The exam is a written test of the duration of 1h30 with 4-5 questions, including both practical exercises and open questions. The exam will be conducted in the computer lab. Each question score is reported in the test.

 

The student can reject the achieved passing grade only once. After the first rejection, the next positive grade earned will be verbalized without the student having any further opportunity to reject it. There remains the option to withdraw from the exam if one considers one's preparation inadequate.
Listed students who decide not to take the exam are asked to unsubscribe before the lists are closed.

Teaching tools

The Virtuale platform is the main teaching tool. Power Point presentations, videos and computer labs will be used. Hybrid teaching will make use of the Teams platform.

Office hours

See the website of Chiara Ludovica Comolli