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2020/2021

Demography

Code: 101098 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OT 3 2
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OT 4 0
2500262 Sociology OT 4 0
2503778 International Relations OT 4 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Roser Nicolau Nos
Email:
Roser.Nicolau@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
Yes

Teachers

Roser Nicolau Nos

Prerequisites

They have not been established

Objectives and Contextualisation

Contextualization: This subject is taught in the third and fourth years of the Degree in Politics and Public Management, in the fourth year of the Degree in Sociology and in the fourth year of the Degree in International Relations.

Objectives: The subject is an introduction to the study of human populations for social science students. It is oriented to the learning of basic methods and techniques of demographic analysis and knowledge (empirical and theoretical) of the most relevant contemporary demographic transformations.

Training objectives. Basic training is structured around the following aspects:

1. Knowledge of the statistical sources for the study of the populations and of the basic methodologies for their treatment
2. Basic principles in the development of demographic indicators.
3. Applications of demographic analysis to the study of social and political phenomena.
4. Knowledge of contemporary demographic changes.

Competences

    Political Science and Public Management
  • Applying the discipline's main theories and different fields to real practical and professional problems.
  • Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  • Distinguishing the discipline's main theories and different fields: conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and theoretical approaches underlying the discipline's knowledge and different areas and sub-areas, as well as their value for the professional practice through concrete cases.
  • Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  • Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  • Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
    Sociology
  • Analysing the problems arising from the implementation of public policies and conflict situations by recognising the complexity of the social phenomena and political decisions affecting democracy, human rights, social justice and sustainable development.
  • Applying the concepts and approaches of the sociological theory, specially the explanations of social inequalities between classes, between genders and between ethnic groups, to the implementation of public policies and to the resolution of conflict situations.
  • Assessing the contributions of sociological approaches to the study of culture, education, interaction between society and environment, social policy, and work.
  • Demonstrating a comprehension of the analysis of social phenomena presented in English, as well as observing their strengths and weaknesses.
  • Demonstrating a comprehension of the approaches of the sociological theory in its different aspects, interpretations and historical context.
  • Describing social phenomena in a theoretically relevant way, bearing in mind the complexity of the involved factors, its causes and its effects.
  • Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
  • Developing self-learning strategies.
  • Effectively communicating the basic analysis of social phenomena in an elementary level of English.
  • Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  • Searching for documentary sources starting from concepts.
  • Students must be capable of assessing the quality of their own work.
  • Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.
    International Relations
  • Analyse the behaviour of international actors, both state and non-state.
  • Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  • Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  • Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and critically evaluate the evolution of the population of a region.
  2. Analyse and show future scenarios focusing on the different basic demographic variables.
  3. Analysing and explaining future scenarios bearing in mind the expected evolution of the basic demographic variables.
  4. Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in research processes.
  5. Carry out basic demographic studies (population pyramids, growth forecasts, age-period cohort analysis) and analyse the main current problems of the population.
  6. Carrying out basic demographic studies (population pyramids, prospects of population growth, age cohort analysis) and analysing the main current population problems.
  7. Comparing the different theoretical approaches concerning social policy.
  8. Comparing the reading of social policies from several ideologies of the social reality of Spain and Catalonia.
  9. Comprehending the social interpretations of social policy in accordance with these approaches.
  10. Critically analysing and assessing the evolution of a territory's population.
  11. Defining the basic knowledge of the demographic analysis, particularly the essential categories, techniques and elements of the study of population (rates of birth, death, migration and natural increase).
  12. Defining the sociological concepts that interpret social policy.
  13. Defining the underlying social phenomena of social policies and conflicts about social needs.
  14. Demonstrating a comprehension of the analysis of social phenomena presented in English, as well as observing their strengths and weaknesses.
  15. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  16. Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
  17. Developing self-learning strategies.
  18. Distinguishing sociological concepts about social policy.
  19. Distinguishing sociological concepts, as well as the methods and techniques of social investigation commonly used to analyse social policy.
  20. Distinguishing the explanations of the access inequalities and the impact of social policies between classes, between genders and between ethnic groups that these actors take for granted.
  21. Distinguishing underlying social policies of specific conflicts.
  22. Effectively communicating the basic analysis of social phenomena in an elementary level of English.
  23. Expressing the debates regarding these approaches, that refer to social policy.
  24. Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  25. Identify data sources and carry out rigorous bibliographical and documentary searches.
  26. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  27. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  28. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  29. Outline the basic knowledge for demographic analysis, in particular the basic techniques and elements for studying population (birth and death rates, migration , natural and organic growth, etc.)
  30. Produce and prepare the presentation of intervention reports and/or proposals.
  31. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  32. Relating the concepts, methods and techniques used to analyse social policy with general theoretical and methodological debates.
  33. Relating the debates regarding these approaches, that refer to social policy, with the historical context in which they emerged.
  34. Relating the explanations of the access inequalities and the impact of social policies with the general theoretical and methodological debates.
  35. Relating them with the debates about state, social change and inequality.
  36. Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  37. Searching for documentary sources starting from concepts.
  38. Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  39. Students must be capable of assessing the quality of their own work.
  40. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  41. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  42. Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.
  43. Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  44. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  45. Use metatheoretical data to argue and establish plausible relation of causality and establish ways of validating or rejecting them.
  46. Use sources of data, time references and magnitudes in population analysis.
  47. Using data sources, time references and magnitudes in population analysis.
  48. Working autonomously.
  49. Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  50. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.

Content

1. Population growth

   1.1 Evolution of the world population and the projections of the UN
   1.2 Demographic transition in different groups of countries
   1.3 Foundations and justification of population policies
   1.4 Sources and methods for estimating populations and describing their characteristics.

   1.5 Measurement and calculation of growth rates

   1.6 Use of graphs with arithmetic and logarithmic scales

2. Changes in the composition by sex and age of the population
   2.1 Relationship between male and female populations: determinants and consequences
   2.2 Indicators and graphic representations
   2.3 Causes and perspectives of aging of populations
   2.4 Consequences of changes in age composition of population

3. Growth components and use of gross and specific rates
   3.1 Vital and migratory statistics

   3.2 Balancing equation and calculation of gross rates
   3.3 Interpretation of gross rates and the use of age specific rates
   3.4 Control of structural effects: standardization techniques

4. Description of demographic phenomena
   4.1 Temporal reference and the use of Lexis Diagram
   4.2 Types of magnitudes (stock, flow) and measures (proportions, rates and probabilities)
   4.3 Period and cohort approach: longitudinal, cross-sectional and by age or duration
   4.4 Interpretation of period data: differentianting  between effects of age, generation and momentum. Analysis of various sociodemographic variables

5. Construction of demographic tables
   5.1 Functions of a table and synthetic indicators: the model of the  life table
   5.2 Constructionand interpretation of period life tables
   5.3 Application to the analysis of fertility. Period or Cohort Tables.

6.- Evolution and inequalities of mortality and fertility
   6.1 Determinants of health and mortality: historical evolution, international and internal disparities in Western countries
   6.2 Decline and fluctuations of fertility.Analysis of proximate variables, their causes and consequences.
 

Methodology

The course is organized around  three types of educational activities : Lectures, Assignments and Readings. This set of activities is carried out in three levels:

Conducted activities: lectures and practice sessions led by the teacher.

Supervised activities: monitoring of practices and activities requested in class.

Autonomous activities: completion of the practices, preparation of the written tests, study of the theoretical contents and complementary readings

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Seminar (practices) 16.5 0.66 10, 37, 6, 47
Theoretical classes 33 1.32 7, 11, 32
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 14 0.56 39, 14, 42, 48
Type: Autonomous      
Readings 24 0.96 14, 16, 27, 44
Resolve the practices 22 0.88 37, 16, 6, 42, 28, 26, 47
Study 30 1.2 3, 10

Assessment

1. The subject will be graded on continuous assessment basis from the following activities and weights:

• Two written tests throughout the course (the arithmetic mean of these two notes will be weighted 50% to calculate the final grade)
• Two reading controls (the arithmetic mean of these two notes will be weighted by 15% to calculate the final grade)
• Two Assignments (the arithmetic mean of these two notes will be weighted by 25% to calculate the final grade)
• Participation in practice sessions r (this note will be weighted by 10% to calculate the final grade)

2. To participate in the resit exam the student must have obtained an average grade between 3.5 and 4.9. The date of this test will be scheduled in the exam calendar by the School of Political Science and Sociology administration. .

3.- The students who do not show up to one or more of the activities submitted to evaluation throughout the course will be graded as  “non assessable subject

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Participation seminar of practices 10 1.5 0.06 2, 10, 39, 15, 30, 6, 31, 24, 41, 40, 32, 36, 44, 50
Practices 25 4 0.16 10, 1, 4, 45, 37, 29, 13, 15, 19, 30, 6, 5, 25, 26, 38, 43, 41, 40, 44, 48, 47, 46
Reading control 15 1 0.04 2, 45, 7, 8, 9, 29, 14, 17, 16, 20, 21, 30, 23, 5, 31, 28, 27, 43, 41, 40, 33, 35, 46
Written test 50 4 0.16 3, 10, 4, 45, 37, 9, 22, 12, 29, 11, 15, 20, 18, 6, 5, 42, 25, 43, 41, 40, 34, 44, 49, 47, 46

Bibliography

Introduction to demography:

POSTON, D. L  i BOUVIER .F.2018 Population and Society, An Introduction to Demography. Cambridge University Press.

PRESSAT, R. 2000. Introducción a la Demogafía. Altaya.

PRESSAT, R. 1981. Demografía  estadística. Ariel. Barcelona

VALLIN, J. 1995. La Demografía. Alianza Editorial. Madrid

Demographic analysis textbooks:

HENRY, L. 1976. Demografía. Análisis y modelos. Barcelona, Ed. Labor

HINDE, Andrew. 1998. Demographic methods. Arnold.

LEGUINA, J. 1981. Fundamentos de demografía. Madrid, Siglo XXI

LERIDON, H. TOULEMON, L. 2014. Demografía. Cedua. Col Mex

LIVI BACCI, M. 1993. Introducción a la demografía. Barcelona, Ariel.

POSTON, D. L  y MICKLIN, M. (eds).2009. Handbook of Population. Springer

PRB'S Population Handbook. 2011 https://www.prb.org/wp.../prb-population-handbook-2011

PRESSAT, R. 1983. El análisis demográfico. México, Fondo de Cultura Económica

PRESTON, S.H., HEUVELINE, P. i GUILLOT, M. 2001. Demography: measuring and modeling population processses, Blackwell Publishers.

ROWLAND, D. 2003. Demographic Methods and Concepts. Oxford University Press.

SIEGEL, J.S., SWANSON, D. 2004. The methods and materials of demography. Elsevier.

TAPINOS, G. 1990. Elementos de demografía. Madrid, Espasa Calpe

VALLIN, J. 1995. La demografía, Alianza Editorial, Madrid.

YAUKEY, D. 2015 . Demography, the study of human population. Waeland press

Population issues:

CUTLER, D., DEATON, A. y LLERAS-MUNEY, A. 2006. “The determinants of mortality” Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol 20 nº3, pp: 97-120

EZEH, A.C., BONGAARTS J. y MBERU. B. 2012. “Global Population Trends and Policy Options” The Lancet (July 10) doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60696-5.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673612606965LIVI BACCI, M. 2009. Historia mínima de la población mundial. Ariel. Barcelona

LAM, D. 2011. “How the World Survived the Population Bomb: Lessons From 50 Years of Extraordinary Demographic History,” Demography, (nov.), pp. 1231-1262
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13524-011-0070-z

LEE, R. 2003. “The Demographic Transition: Three Centuries of Fundamental Change,” Journal of Economic Perspectives v. 17, n. 4, Fall 2003, pp. 167–190.
http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/089533003772034943

LIVI BACCI, M. 1998. Historia de la población europea. Crítica. Barcelona.

LIVI BACCI, M. 2017. Our Shrinking Planet. Polity Press (traducción de “Il planeta stretto”.2015. Il Mulino)

MCFALLS, J.A. (5ºedició 2007) Population: A Lively Introduction. Population Bulletin,. vol 62, nº1. http://www.prb.org/pdf07/62.1LivelyIntroduction.pdf

SCIENCE, 29 july 2011, nºdedicat al creixement demogràfic (en particular articles de Bloom, Bongaarts, Lee i Malajkoff). http://www.sciencemag.org/site/special/population/

Dossier:

a) Statistical material used and commented on class. Readings about some program topics, exercises and practice sessions materials. This dossier is available at the electronic address of the virtual campus.

b) Teaching Materials: Courses notes available at the electronic address of the Virtual Campus

Electronic addresses:

Look at the website of the "Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics" of the UAB: http://www.ced.uab.es/. Links from other research centres and production of data and demographic statistics institutions are available.