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This module is outlined as a cross-sectional introductory course in Demography covering all the main topics and knowledge relevant to the basic understanding of demographic reproduction and development, their foundations, courses and consequences, and the principles of their cognition. It starts with an introduction to the basic concepts and historical development of demography and the principles of demographic research. The course presents demography as a scientific discipline with a specific object and subject of interest. It traces the purpose and specificities of demographic cognition and the current position of demography, among other disciplines. Students also get acquainted with basic information on sources, collection principles, quality assessment and dissemination of population data. The data block provides a detailed explanation of different concepts of time in demography and the display of demographic data in the Lexis diagram. Basic approaches, methods and indicators employed in the classical demographic analysis of all reproduction processes, as well as the basics of population forecasting, are further depicted. The presentations of real cases, discussions of the interaction of population reproduction and its components with other social, economic, political, cultural and environmental processes and practical applicability of demographic findings close this introductory module. At the students' request, the module can also include a lesson and consultations on the basics of MS Excel. Poslední úprava: Kučera Tomáš, RNDr., CSc. (02.10.2025)
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Poslední úprava: Kučera Tomáš, RNDr., CSc. (02.10.2025)
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Assessment: Credit: Assignment solutions (exercises) being correct in content and form: Average grade of more than 50%
Exam: 25% Exercises (weighted average from all results) 25% Regular tests (arithmetic mean from five best results) 50% Written exam (at least 50% of all points) Poslední úprava: Kučera Tomáš, RNDr., CSc. (02.10.2025)
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Prerequisite: Ability to work with a personal computer, basic mastery of work with MS Excel Aims: To familiarize students with demography as an area of study and its practical applications, to build a solid base for further gathering knowledge and skills in the field and to raise students’ interest in studying population reproduction. Learning Outcomes: Having completed this course a student will be able to: · Identify the scope and purpose of demography, its unique approach to reality, sources, collection and dissemination of demographic data, basic methods and methodological principles and selected findings. · Describe the historical development of the discipline, its milestones, and relevance for current studies of population development, as well as the relation of demography to other disciplines. · Understand the mechanisms, basic determinants and consequences of population development, and its basic mutual relationships with the development of society and environment. · See the potential applicability of demography and demographic findings and his/her professional perspective in the studied field. · Sort more effectively new information obtained during further studies.
Program (T – theme, E – exercise): T1: Prologue I: a. Demography as a scientific discipline, demographic processes b. History and milestones of demography c. Major professional association in the field of population studies d. Research in demography e. Main demographic journals and websites f. UN structures dealing with population g. Basic information on the population in the world h. Literature to start with E1: Population and development (BBC movie “Don´t Panic” at https://vimeo.com/79878808) T2: Prologue II: a. Demographic reproduction and its universal character b. Specificities of the demographic cognition process c. Demographic data, their handling d. Population data sources, availability, and quality e. International databases containing population data f. Time in demography, Lexis diagram, stock and flow data g. Period and cohort perspectives in demographic analysis E2: Location of data in Lexis diagram (demographic net) T3: System of demographic indicators and demographic structures: a. Classification of demographic indicators b. General rules of demographic indicators construction c. Applicability, interpretation and comparability of basic demographic indicators (incl. principles of standardization) d. Basic demographic structures and their general regularities e. Principles of demographic structures description f. Graphical tools – construction of age pyramid g. Numerical characteristics of age structure h. Age structures typology E3: Sex and age structure assessment, construction of age pyramid, standardization T4: Principles of mortality analysis a. Basic indicators b. Life table c. General mortality patterns (table functions) E4: Construction of mortality tables and visualization of table functions T5: Principles of fertility analysis a. Basic fertility indicators b. Calculating and interpreting the fertility rates and Mean age of the mother at birth of a child c. General fertility patterns E5: Description and basic comparative analysis of fertility T6: Principles of demographic analysis of migration a. Basic indicators of migration b. Calculating and interpreting the Migraproduction rate c. Demographic patterns of migration E6: Description and comparative analysis of migration T7: Aggregate assessment of the process of demographic reproduction a. Annual growth rate b. Reproduction rates construction c. Replacement level of fertility E7: Calculation of annual growth rate, construction of reproduction rates, estimation of replacement level under different mortality conditions, and impact of sex-selective abortion on replacement level. T8: Basic demographic theories and concepts: a. Malthus theory and neo-Malthusians b. Theory of demographic transition/revolution c. The second demographic transition concept E8: Elaboration of a short essay on a selected theoretical question. T9: Global population trends: a. World population history and prospects b. Current demographic situation in the world c. Demographic issues of contemporary Europe E9: Comparative analysis of trends in reproduction processes/population structure developments in the world and classification of countries by selected population characteristics. T10: Pre-exam recap E10: Written exam 5. Teaching and Learning Methods: Guided self-study activities are combined with group (planned/on request) and individual (on request) consultations and discussion of the results of self-study activities. Poslední úprava: Kučera Tomáš, RNDr., CSc. (02.10.2025)
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Prerequisite: Ability to work with a personal computer, basic mastery of work with MS Excel Poslední úprava: Kučera Tomáš, RNDr., CSc. (02.10.2025)
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