Insegnamento a.a. 2016-2017

30203 - INTERNATIONAL DEMOGRAPHY


CLEAM - CLEF - CLEACC - BESS-CLES - WBB - BIEF - BIEM

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English

Go to class group/s: 31
CLEAM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - CLEF (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - CLEACC (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - BESS-CLES (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - WBB (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - BIEF (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04) - BIEM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-S/04)
Course Director:
LETIZIA MENCARINI

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: LETIZIA MENCARINI


Course Objectives

The course analyses the interrelationships between population dynamics and social and economic dynamics, in a comparative and international perspective. After an introduction to the long-term developments of the world population, the course focuses on key demographic issues concerning present times: sustainable development and the future of the world population, demographic problems in developing countries and in the Western world, population policies and the analysis of demographic trends. The topics and tools presented are useful for students interested in the mid and long term socio-economic dynamics, population history, sustainable development, inequality and the role of international organizations. The course has an introductory and applied style.

Course Content Summary

  • Long term dynamics of the world population. The Demographic Transition: a passage from constraint to choice?
  • Some analytical demographic tools for the study of population dynamics.
  • Land, labor and population. From Malthus to Boserup, to neo-malthusian.
  • Population, resources and environment.
  • Contemporary population in developing countries: the comparative case studies of China and India; the late transition of African continent.
  • Contemporary population in Europe and other developed countries: low fertility and population ageing.
  • International migrations: theories, evidence, political debate.
  • International demographic research: institutional data sources and sample survey projects, basic methods and demographic indicators.
  • The uncertain future of population: towards a convergence of demographic behavior in the post-transition regime? The European and international situation and forecasts and projections.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

For attending students:
  • a partial written exam on the first part of the course and another partial written exam on the second part of the course. Partial exams have to be taken within the same academic year.
For non-attending students:
  • a written exam on both books and teaching material on LS.  

Textbooks

  • M. LIVI BACCI, A Concise History of World Population, Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2012, 5th edition.
  • J.H. LUNDQUIST, D.L. ANDERTON, D. YAUKEY, Demography, the study of Human population, Published by Waveland Press, 14th ed. (selection chapters).
  • Teaching material on LS.
Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)
Last change 21/03/2016 12:31