Basic, introductory course of demography and population studies. Sources and methods are examined in connection with substantive issues. Social indicators for the knowledge of the territory, analysis and interpretation.
1) G. De Santis (2010) Demografia, Il Mulino, Bologna.
2) Neodemos website (www.neodemos.it)
3) Rinaldi A. (2002) Fonti informative e indicatori statistici per l’analisi socio-economica territoriale, Istituto Tagliacarne, working paper 31, Roma.
4) ISTAT. Atlante di geografia statistica e amministrativa. Edizione 2009
5) ISTAT Atlante statistico dei comuni http://asc.istat.it/asc_BL/
6) Istat – Forme, livelli e dinamiche dell’urbanizzazione in Italia (2017)
Learning Objectives
a) understand demographic dynamics (interplay of stock and flow data);
b) know where to retrieve demographic information
c) be capable of calculating autonomously the main socio-demographic indicators, given the proper raw numbers
d) understand demographic problems; envisage possible solutions.
d) be able to understand the problems of the populations in the territories and to indicate possible solutions for them.
e) be able to read and build indicators to know the social phenomena that occur on a territory and to know how to analyze them
Prerequisites
Know how to read and interpret simple tables and graphs.
Teaching Methods
Lectures, practice exercises.
Further information
For additional teaching material and a few examples of examination tests
see the Moodle page of the course
Type of Assessment
Oral exam: 3 questions
Course program
Definition of demography: its purpose, methods, sources and data.
Description of stocks, flows and demographic phenomena (mortality, couple formation and dissolution, fertility, migration).
Social and demographic sources of data.
The reading of the phenomena from the data synthesis: the comparison between territorial realities
The information sources for the statistical analysis of the territory
The statistical description of spatial data
Territorial indicators and territorial statistical atlas