The course aims to provide the basic theoretical and methodological knowledge of demography as well as the main geo-demographic trends as an interpretative tool for today's social challenges. Demography shapes much of our world, and this has never been as true as it is today. The issues affecting the population and its relationship with the territories are increasingly present, albeit indirectly, in the academic, political, and public debate: overpopulation, environmental pollution, food safety, availability and use of energy resources, urbanisation, migrations flows, attraction of qualified human capital, geopolitical strategies, ethnic and religious conflicts, geo-economic competition, international trade, direct foreign investments. The well-known saying attributed to Auguste Comte that "demography is destiny", of course, must not be taken in a deterministic and absolute means. However, the demographic variable has contributed - together with others - to tracing the political, economic, and social evolution of peoples, human communities, States, and geographical areas. If this has been true in the past - when population studies had a predominantly, if not solely, statistical-accounting significance - in recent decades, analysing the trend of the population has become a substantial moment for interpreting the configuration of the world. Our planet has witnessed a real geo-demographic revolution characterised by different evolutionary phases that have heavily influenced, and will continue to influence, the definition of territorial structures and human relations. The course will provide a broad outlook of these interconnections among demographic trends and political and socioeconomic phenomena. Sustainability and the Euro-Mediterranean area, especially Italy, will be treated with a particular emphasis.

- Knowledge and understanding The students – through course attendance and practical activities – will become familiar with the principles of demography and the interlink of demography with international relations, urbanization, geopolitical settings, economic development, and the environment. They will learn in-depth about the demographic change in Italy and the Euro-Mediterranean area. The acquired knowledge will be evaluated continuously according to the University's 'Fully Enquiry-Based' rules. - Applying knowledge and understanding Students will become familiar with the most critical demographic methods and techniques and the most crucial population change challenges. They will be able to identify and critically address demographic problems and possible solutions. The ability to 'apply knowledge and understanding' will be assessed during the course through reports, reviews, papers, and open-ended and multiple-choice questions to deepen the investigation of specific demographic topics. - Making judgments Students will acquire analytical skills that will allow them to access and discuss contemporary research around demography and social challenges. They will gain a critical spirit in the investigation of demographic phenomena and their interrelations with social and economic challenges. By using the appropriate methods learned during the course, students will be able to select the most suitable demographic data, literature and materials among the available sources. They will be able to independently evaluate the quality and reliability of demographic data and materials and critically judge their application to population-related challenges. - Communication skills By the end of the course, students will be able to transmit the different demographic challenges in different socioeconomic and geopolitical scenarios with clarity, rigour, and methodological consistency. Through the various activities that will take place during the course – lessons with discussion, debates, and group work – students will be able to practice communication skills in various contexts. They will learn to adapt the terms used to the specific context, thus gaining advanced rhetorical skills needed for their professional career. - Learning skills By putting into practice the methodologies learned during lectures and seminars, students will be able to elaborate on different demographic issues and conduct research by consulting specialist texts and journals. They will develop a solid knowledge of the fundamental aspects of demography and the related social challenges. They will also be able to independently conduct further research in population studies and undertake different postgraduate training activities, including demographic subjects.

The course introduces the basic concepts and issues of population studies and addresses the drivers and implications of the evolution of the world population. The most relevant demographic techniques are covered, and demographic concepts and practical strategies for interpreting population statistics are discussed. The process of demographic transition is analysed in the single dynamic processes related to mortality, fertility, and migration, as well as concerning the structural changes of population, basically the age and the family and household transitions. The link between modernisation and secularisation processes, as well as economic development, is treated to single out and discuss the main implications of the demo-economic interactions in the different geographical areas of the world. Causes and consequences of fertility mortality, migration and urbanisation will be examined. The role of population dynamics in geopolitical, religious, and ethnic issues will be explored. Particular attention will be given to sustainable development and geo-demographic change, especially in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Policy related to migration flows, fertility, and health will be treated. The sustainability of population policies in Italy and other selected countries will be discussed.

A selection of chapters from the following books will be made available to students on the course Learn page as required readings: - Lundquist, J.H., Anderton D.L., Yaukey B. (2015), Demography. The study of Human Population. Fourth Edition. Waveland Press - Goerres A. and Vanhuysse P. (2021). Global Political Demography. The Politics of Population Change. Palgrave Macmillan. Additional teaching materials: Statistical datasheets, official reports, journal articles, and lecture slides will be distributed to the students throughout the course. These readings will be made available via LUISS Learn (course webpage) and will complement the textbooks in providing the basis for acquiring the intended learning outcomes. Other suggested readings: - Dorling, D. and Gietel-Basten, S. (2018). Why Demography Matters. Polity Press, Cambridge. - Goldstone, J.A., Kauffmann, E.P., Duffy Toft, M. (eds.) (2011). Political Demography: How Population Changes are Reshaping International Security and National Politics. Oxford University Press. - Hayutin A. M. (2022). New Landscapes for Population Change. A Demographic World Tour. Hoover Institution Press. - Paice E. (2021). Youthquake: Why African Demography Should Matter to the World. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC - Sciubba J.D. (2022). 8 Billion and Counting: How Sex, Death, and Migration Shape Our World. Norton. - Sciubba J.D. (2021) (ed.). A Research Agenda for Political Demography. Edward Elgar Publishing.

- Lessons with the support of audio-visuals; - Lectures by external experts; - Case studies; - Inquiry-based learning; - Problem-based learning; - Peer education; - Flipped classroom.

The learning assessment for attending students is divided into three different evaluation stages: - (first assignment, individual work) two open-ended questions to be chosen among the four proposed (50% of the final grade); - (second assignment, group work) a paper shared with the course of "Data Analysis for Social Sciences" (30% of the final grade); - (final exam, individual work) multiple-choice questions (20% of the final grade). The two assignments during the course are compulsory, cannot be re-taken, and the grade cannot be refused (according to 'Fully Enquiry-Based' rules). Attendance is mandatory, and absences must be announced and motivated by email to the Professor. For students attending the course, the final grade is obtained as the weighted arithmetic average of the grades achieved in the three assessment stages (two assignments and the final exam). The learning assessment for official non-attending students (students who applied for non-attending status to the Graduate School, according to the official regulations) is carried out through a single final exam, the outcome of which will count for 100% of the final grade and consists of: - multiple-choice questions (40%); - an oral interview (60%). The content of the multiple-choice questions and the oral interview covers all the required readings and additional teaching materials. Please refer to the course learn page for more details on the assessment rules.

- Active attendance at the course. - Quality and interest of the proposed research topic for the thesis.