Course teached as: B000090 - DEMOGRAFIA 3-years First Cycle Degree (DM 270/04) in POLITICAL SCIENCE Curriculum STUDI POLITICI
Teaching Language
Italian
Course Content
Basic, introductory course of demography and population study. Sources and methods are examined in connection with substantive issues. Specific attention is devoted to the study of the world population (past, present and future) and to its relations with economic growth. Limits to the demographic growth are also considered.
Module No 1 (Note 1 module = 3 ECTS):
1) G. De Santis (2010) Demografia, Il Mulino, Bologna.
2) Istat websites, that is:
http://www.istat.it/; http://demo.istat.it/;
3) Neodemos website (www.neodemos.it)
Module No 2:
4) M. Livi Bacci (2011) Storia minima della popolazione del mondo, Il Mulino, Bologna. (1^ ed. 1998)
Module No 3 (last 3 ECTS):
5) M. Livi Bacci (2010) In cammino. Breve storia delle migrazioni, Il Mulino, Bologna.
Learning Objectives
a) learn how population stock and flows interact with each other;
b) learn how to find and use demographic sources.
c) learn how to measure demographic phenomena and how to interpret them.
d) understand demographic problems, their short- and long-term consequences, and design possible solutions.
Prerequisites
Don’t be afraid of numbers
Teaching Methods
Modules 1 and 2: Traditional.
Module 3: To be determined
Further information
Exercises with solutions and examples of past exams can be found here: http://www.scpol.unifi.it/ (follow link Docenti - De Santis Gustavo)
Type of Assessment
Written examination, with both theoretical questions and practical exercises.
Course program
Module 1
Definition of Demography; Sources; Structural traits of a population; how to properly study flows and demographic behaviours (mortality, union formation and dissolution, births and fertility, migration).
Module 2
Population models (stationary population; demographic forecasts, both synthetic and by components). A short history of how populations changed over time, and across the world: characteristics, sources, causes and consequences.
Module 3
Short history of population migration: causes and consequences (or, for actively attending students, special programme to be discussed with the teacher)