KSOD 2615 - Populations Studies

The last two centuries have been characterized by unprecedented demographic challenges and opportunities, including rapid population ageing, extremely low as well as very high fertility, and changing migration patterns. However, the rate and path of these trends have not been uniform across countries. These and other demographic trends have important repercussions in all domains of our societies; from voting behavior to labour markets and economic growth, pension systems, carbon emissions, and the demand for education, health and social services.

This course aims to introduce students to key concepts and theories in population studies in order to understand trends and variations in fertility, mortality and migration, the determinants of such trends, and the implications they have for our societies.

The main course aims are to enable students to: 1. Acquire knowledge of contemporary and historical variations in demographic trends, particularly mortality and fertility, but also migration; 2. Summarize and critically evaluate the main theories that have been proposed to explain trends and differentials in mortality and fertility; 3. Identify the causes and consequences of population change and relate these to underlying population dynamics; 4. Understand the population and other consequences of changes in fertility and mortality, such as population ageing, and the interaction between population change, public health, and public policy; 5. Develop a critical understanding of the use of data and research on population issues. Finally, students will be encouraged to discuss policy implications of demographic challenges in diverse regions of the world.

• Introduction to key concepts: Population dynamics (fertility, mortality, migration); population size and growth; population structures (Sessions 1 & 2)
• Demographic transitions (Session 3)
• Fertility: Trends, measurement, determinants (Sessions 4 & 5)
• Mortality: Trends, measurement, determinants (Sessions 6 & 7)
• Migration (Session 8)
• Consequences of population dynamics (Sessions 9 & 10)
• Demographic data (Session 11)
• Demographic challenges and policy implications – a regional approach (Session 12)

Class participation (10%), group presentation of a demographic challenge in a region of the student’s choice (30%), a midterm exam (20%), and a final exam (40%).