11415 - Demographic Models

Academic Year 2010/2011

  • Docente: Lucia Pasquini
  • Credits: 10
  • SSD: SECS-S/04
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Lucia Pasquini (Modulo 1) Alessandra Samoggia (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in STATISTICAL SCIENCES (cod. 8055)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the main national and international demographic surveys, acquires the methodological instruments to examine demographic phenomena and is an expert on population models. Particularly, the student is able: - to individualize populations evolutionary mechanisms - to pattern demographic phenomena - to estimate the main unknown parameters of special model populations

Course contents

The course is subdivided into two modules:

1- Methodological aspects of current demographic models (Lucia Pasquini)

2- Analysis of behavioural models in real populations

Module 1- Population models (Malthusian, stable, quasi-stable and stationary populations).

Model life tables (Coale and Demeny, Ledermann, United Nations for developing countries, Coale and Guo for very low levels of mortality).

Brass's relational life tables system.

Stable population and mortality models.

Nuptiality models (Hajnal and Coale models).

Bongaarts model for analyzing the proximate determinants of fertility.

Coale and Trussell fertility model.

Fertility estimation using model stable age distribution (Coale and Demeny, ONU).

International sources of data for the study of population's social and demographic features (United nations, Who, World Bank).

Social and demographic surveys: Fertility and Family Survey;  Demographic and Health Survey.

Multidimensional statistical analysis of the determinants of demographic behaviour: new family models in Europe, new reproductive models in developing countries, new mortality models in developed countries.

Readings/Bibliography

UNITED NATIONS, Manual X. Indirect Tecniques for Demographic Estimation, New York, 1983.

F. Bonarini, Appunti di demografia, CLUEP, Padova, 1993.

Further texts will be distributed by the teachers

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, practices, discussion of arguments that the students can deepen.

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Videoprojector, PC, overhead projector.

Office hours

See the website of Lucia Pasquini

See the website of Alessandra Samoggia