Strands and sessions with organisers (who may be contacted with queries):
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Climate change, environmental problems, and population dynamics
Climate change and environmental degradation are some of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. These issues have far-reaching implications for population dynamics and the wellbeing of communities and individuals around the world. As demographers, it is crucial that we understand how climate change and environmental problems affect population growth, migration, fertility, mortality and other demographic processes. At the same time, we must also consider how population dynamics, in turn, influence climate change and environmental degradation, and how these links are affected by various policy measures. Moreover, climate change, environmental problems, but also political interventions disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and exacerbate existing inequalities.
This strand will also aim to spotlight the differential vulnerability of certain groups and the inequality in potential harms, such as low-income communities, indigenous peoples, and populations in developing countries.
Strand organisers: Dr. Risto Conte Keivabu (Max Planck Institute of Demographic Research) – Risto.Conte@eui.eu, Dr. Tobias Rüttenauer (UCL) – t.ruttenauer@ucl.ac.uk and Dr. Dermot Grenham – dermot.grenham@gmail.com
Environment and health in a global perspective
A session on health impacts of environmental exposures such as heat, humidity, and pollution.
Session organiser: Dr. Aashish Gupta (University of Oxford) – aashish.gupta@sociology.ox.ac.uk
Critical methods and new approaches in demography
We invite work that critically engages with demographic methods. In particular, we encourage qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research that furthers our understanding of core demographic concepts, alongside studies that use novel, forward-thinking methodologies and analyses.
Strand organisers: Michaela Sedovicova (LSE) – m.sedovicova@lse.ac.uk and Joe Strong (LSE) – j.strong3@lse.ac.uk
Data science: innovative data, methods and models
The combination of new sources of data and the increased availability of cheap computing power have opened up exciting new avenues for research in population science. Methodological advances and new statistical modelling approaches allow these new resources to be exploited to create new scientific knowledge and forecast our demographic futures. This strand welcomes papers that demonstrate the application of innovative data, methods and models to problems in the population sciences.
Demographic applications falling under the following headings are particularly encouraged:
• big data
• innovative statistical modelling and forecasting
• Bayesian methods and uncertainty quantification
• modelling of kinship
• simulation
• machine learning
Strand organiser: Dr. Jason Hilton (University of Southampton) – j.d.hilton@soton.ac.uk
Spatial modelling of demographic outcomes across the world
The space element in regression models can be handled in several ways. Papers can consider the advantages of a particular model, innovations in model types, alternatives to regression, mapping, visualisation, and interaction effects. Papers which take up risk outcomes, hazard models and variables which reflect the Sustainable Development Goals are particularly welcome. The empirical coverage could involve data from any country, including multi-country, multi-level, and microdata studies.
Session organisers: Prof. Wendy Olsen – wendy.olsen@manchester.ac.uk and Dr. Arkadiusz Wisniowski – a.wisniowski@manchester.ac.uk
Digital footprint data for population science
The digital revolution ushered in the 1990s has unleashed a data revolution. Technological advances in computational power, storage and digital network platforms have enabled the emergence of “Big Data” or “digital footprint data”. The unprecedented amount of information that we can now capture through digital technology offers unique opportunities to advance our understanding of micro human behaviour (e.g. individual-level decision making, preferences and choices) and macro population processes (e.g. structural population processes and trends). Digital footprint data offer a continuous flow of information to capture human population dynamics at unprecedentedly fine spatial and temporal resolution in real or near real-time comprising entire social systems. Yet, the use of digital footprint data also poses major conceptual, methodological and ethical challenges. This session welcomes submissions illustrating the use and potential of digital footprint data, as well as how these data can be used to address some of their key challenges in terms of data biases, representation and ethical concerns.
Session organiser: Francisco Rowe, University of Liverpool fcorowe@liverpool.ac.uk
Developments in official population statistics
This year the strand is being run in conjunction with the UK Data Service. Contributions to this strand are sought on developments in official series of population statistics, developments in and findings from the 2021/22 censuses and how official population statistics may transform in the future. Papers on the analysis and dissemination of these are also welcome.
Strand organisers: Phil Humby (ONS) – philip.humby@ons.gov.uk; Dr. Nigel De Noronha (University of Manchester & UK Data Service) – nigel.denoronha@manchester.ac.uk; Dr. Oliver Duke-Williams (UCL & UK Data Service) – o.duke-williams@ucl.ac.uk
Demography of disaster and displacement contexts
The session seeks to bring together researchers from diverse fields (demography, health, economics, sociology, practitioners) studying population processes and data in disaster- and displacement-affected contexts. Settings could include the war in Ukraine, climatic events, conflict, de facto states, refugees and internal displacement.
Strand organisers: Rosanna Le Voir (LSE) – R.H.Le-Voir@lse.ac.uk, Prof. Brienna Perelli-Harris (University of Southampton) – B.G.Perelli-Harris@soton.ac.uk and Dr. Orsola Torrisi (LSE) – O.Torrisi@lse.ac.uk
Ethnicity
In this Anniversary year, that coincides with the release of Census ethnic group data for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, papers are invited on any aspect of ethnicity and population studies. ‘Ethnicity’ is broadly conceived and may include work concerned with ethnicity, race, religion, language, migrant generations. Theoretical and methodological papers are welcome, with the intention that the Strand will incorporate work from academic researchers and those in government and the third sector (etc), from postgraduates, early career scholars, and senior colleagues. Our intention is to showcase contemporary population scholarship concerned with ethnicity and stimulate lively debate and connections for our research agendas.
We invite paper submissions and suggestions for sessions, including using creative formats.
Papers may address (though are not restricted to):
- Ethnicity data (and the ‘ethnicity data gap’); ethnicity and censuses
- Concepts and measurement of ethnicity and race
- Methods for understanding ethnicity and race
- Ethnicity and demographic processes: fertility, mortality, partnership, migration
- Residential segregation and diversity; race and place
- Ageing and ethnicity
- Ethnic health inequalities
- Experiences of ethnic minorities during Covid-19
- Experiences of ethnic minorities during austerity and ‘cost of living crisis’
- Geo-demographic ethnicity classifications
- Estimating and projecting ethnic groups populations
- Ethnicity and residential mobility
- Ethnicity and social mobility
Strand organisers: Prof. Nissa Finney (University of St Andrews) – Nissa.Finney@st-andrews.ac.uk and Dr. Gemma Catney (Queen’s University Belfast) – G.Catney@qub.ac.uk
Families and households
This stream invites theory‐driven conceptual or empirical papers (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods) that investigate the diversity of family or household compositions and outcomes. Comparative papers and case studies are welcome, as are submissions that challenge conventional assumptions and/or contribute to new conceptual and methodological frameworks for household and/or family. For instance, papers that assess the role of selection in known relationships in more detail are invited.
Examples of possible contributions include, but are not limited to:
- Trends, determinants and consequences of demographic events
- Relationships: Union formation, dissolution, relationship quality and satisfaction
- Family and work: Employment, care and unpaid work
- Policy related to families and households
- Heterogeneous effects by e.g. gender, class, income, race/ethnicity, age/cohort, region
Strand organisers: Dr. Jenny Chanfreau (UCL) – j.chanfreau@ucl.ac.uk and Dr. Nitzan Peri-Rotem (University of Exeter) – n.peri-rotem@exeter.ac.uk
Transition to adulthood
This session welcomes papers covering any aspect of the transition to adulthood. Papers can examine any substantive area and/or their intersections (leaving the parental home and migration trajectories; education and employment aspirations and trajectories; sexual initiation, first union formation and partnership & family trajectories) and/or methodological and theoretical aspects related to transition to adulthood in high-, middle- or low-income countries. We particularly encourage the submission of papers which incorporate cross‐national comparisons, sibling comparisons, explore contextual variation, look at ethnic and other socioeconomic differences, explore the impacts of Covid-19, look at the interrelations with health and mental health over the life course, which are policy relevant or use innovative methodological and theoretical approaches.
Session organisers: Dr. Alina Pelikh (UCL) – a.pelikh@ucl.ac.uk and Dr. Ewa Batyra (CED) – ebatyra@ced.uab.es
Fertility and reproductive health
This strand welcomes papers covering any aspect of fertility and sexual and reproductive health. Papers can examine any substantive topic and/or methodological aspect related to fertility or reproductive rights and health in high, middle or low‐income countries. We particularly encourage the submission of papers which incorporate cross‐national comparisons, explore the impacts of recent events like cost-of-living crisis, which are policy relevant or use innovative methodological and theoretical approaches. Reproductive health includes a variety of issues which include, but are not limited to, assisted reproductive technology, pregnancy loss, abortion, sexual and reproductive health and rights or contraceptive use. Papers using quantitative or qualitative methods are welcomed.
Strand organisers: Dr. Alyce Raybould (UCL) – a.raybould@ucl.ac.uk, Dr. Alina Pelikh (UCL) – a.pelikh@ucl.ac.uk and Joe Strong (LSE) – j.strong3@lse.ac.uk
Population policies in post-transition LIMICs
This session includes papers addressing population policies in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) that experienced very below replacement levels of fertility. Papers will address fertility policies including incentives and non-incentives, policies on emerging extra marital fertility, policies on state provision of family planning. These papers collectively will address future population in LMICs within the global population context.
Session organiser: Prof. Saseendran Pallikadavath (University of Portsmouth) –sasee.pallikadavath@port.ac.uk
Fertility and uncertainty
Uncertainty plays a significant role in influencing whether or not people will decide to have children and has the potential to influence fertility behaviour in both high and low income countries. This session welcomes papers from all country contexts which study fertility behaviour and decision making in relation to issues such as housing, economics, war and climate change.
Session organiser:Dr. Sarah Christison (University of St Andrews) – sfc3@st-andrews.ac.uk
Health and mortality
Papers are invited on any aspect of health and mortality studies. Both papers addressing substantive topics about population health and mortality, as well as methodological development on issues related to health and mortality are welcome. Work from early career scholars, non-academic researchers, and postgraduates is encouraged. The strand’s intention is to showcase scholarship addressing current debates of mortality and health from an international perspective, including work from low-to-middle income countries.
Papers may address (though are not restricted to):
- Concepts and measurement of mortality and health
- Trends in adult health and health behaviours
- Mortality and health in low-to-middle income countries
- The environment and population health
- Social determinants of health and health/mortality disparities
- Early life health and mortality
- Data challenges for mortality/health studies
- Biosocial approaches to mortality differences and healths
Strand organiser: Dr. José Manuel Aburto (LSHTM & University of Oxford) – jose.aburto@lshtm.ac.uk
There is particular interest in having a session with this theme:
How the Covid-19 pandemic has affected population health & mortality and what are the future challenges brought about by the pandemic (e.g. inequalities, long-covid, forecasting mortality)
Historical demography
This strand welcomes submissions addressing any aspect of historical demography, or the history of demography as an academic discipline. Papers may focus on any of a broad range of themes, such as fertility, mortality, migration, household formation, social mobility, urbanization, public health, social inequality or other related fields in the context of historical populations. Contributions may focus on any part of the world, and at any scale, from local studies to international comparisons.
Strand organisers: Prof. Eric Schneider (LSE) – E.B.Schneider@lse.ac.uk and Prof. Nicola Shelton (UCL) – n.shelton@ucl.ac.uk
Internal and international migration
We welcome papers addressing any aspect of internal and international mobility and migration including those that focus on trends in and/or the drivers of internal and/or international migration as well as those that are interested in exploring whether and how internal and/or international migration intersects with other life course trajectories such as e.g., partnership formation and dissolution, childbearing, or employment. Papers, which focus on the experiences of immigrants and/or their descendants are also very welcome.
Strand organiser: Dr. Júlia Mikolai (University of St Andrews) – julia.mikolai@st-andrews.ac.uk
Migration as a life-course trajectory
Organised by the IUSSP scientific panel on lifetime migration, this session responds to growing calls to progress beyond a dichotomous approach to the study of migration (migrants vs non-migrants) by recognising that internal and international migration are a complex, repetitive process. We invite papers that showcase recent empirical and methodological advances in: (1) establishing the diversity of migration trajectories over the life course, including circular, return and serial migration (2) determining how migration experiences in early life influence subsequent migration decisions and (3) identifying the cumulative effect of migration life outcomes in later life in the social, economic, family and health domains.
Session organiser: Dr. Aude Bernard (The University of Queensland) – a.bernard@uq.edu.au
Residential mobility and housing of immigrants and their descendants in Europe
We invite papers which study the residential and/or housing experiences of immigrants and/or their descendants in one or more European countries.
Session organiser: Dr. Júlia Mikolai (University of St Andrews) – julia.mikolai@st-andrews.ac.uk
Population ageing and inequalities
In this strand, we call for papers on key questions related to population ageing and inequalities. These might include, for example, papers that address issues arising for older people and their families in mental and physical health; cognition; emotional wellbeing; income, wealth and financial security; social engagement and employment; care provision and receipt; and intergenerational relations. Papers addressing such issues over the life course and investigating how inequality and setbacks in early life are linked to consequences in adulthood and/or later life are also encouraged, as are submissions on the role of policies responses to population ageing (such as active ageing, flexible retirement, social security and long-term services, digital inclusion, and age-friendly society) at the international, national and regional level. Submissions on single regions or countries, cross border and trans-national issues, cross country comparisons, or global perspectives are all welcome, as are those on trends and changes over time. Papers can use qualitative and/or quantitative research methodologies.
Strand organiser: Dr. Giorgio Di Gessa (UCL) – g.di-gessa@ucl.ac.uk
Posters
Poster submissions are invited across the spectrum of population studies and demography. Researchers are encouraged to present results from completed studies or ongoing research not yet at the results stage (which is particularly well-suited to poster presentation). Presenters are welcome to submit more than one abstract for consideration as a poster, perhaps in addition to an oral submission. Presenters are expected to stand with their posters during the dedicated poster session on the first evening, to discuss their work. Posters can also be posted to the BSPS website in advance of the Conference. There will be a poster prize of £100 in book tokens or equivalent vouchers, at least half of which will be for a student poster.
Strand organiser: TBC
Recruiting to and teaching demography programmes
Demographic skills are highly important, given the importance of demography for policy, yet the discipline is taught in relatively few undergraduate or postgraduate programmes. This session aims to provide a forum for discussing 1) how to ensure continued recruitment onto those demographic programmes which exist, in order to ensure these important skills are maintained and 2) how demography is being/should be taught in both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, in order to ensure that those programmes which teach demography are doing so in the most efficient way.
Session organisers: Prof. Rebecca Sear (LSHTM) – Rebecca.Sear@LSHTM.ac.uk and Dr. Eilidh Garrett – eilidh.garrett@btinternet.com
Regional, subnational and local demography: its impact on policy‐making for places
This strand invites presentations that explore demographic themes at subnational, regional, and local level, particularly in the context of policy-making. Topics might include:
- The demographics of ‘Levelling Up’.
- How local demographic trends and variations influence levels of poverty and deprivation, and the provision of local services.
- How demographic estimates and projections inform planning, policy design and service delivery.
- Gaps in local data and evidence; alternative sources and novel approaches used to supplement official statistics.
Strand organiser: Dr. Mark Fransham (University of Oxford) – mark.fransham@spi.ox.ac.uk
Local demography
The 2021 Census provides exceptional insight into local demography and provides a launch pad for the transformation of the social statistics system going forward. In this session we’ll look at what the census told us about local demography, how ONS provided new and innovative ways to understand their area. It will also look at how ONS recognise how important localism through investment in the ONS Local initiative and our transformation plans.
Session organiser: Angeliki Zafeiropoulou (ONS) – angeliki.zafeiropoulou@ons.gov.uk
Telling the story in statistics
This strand invites examples of how you have brought your data to life, made your data discoverable, and/or communicated your results to non-specialists. These could include examples of open data platforms or of how you have found ways of making your messages accessible and reaching a wider audience.
Session organiser: Phil Humby (ONS) – philip.humby@ons.gov.uk
Unintended consequences of social policy
This session welcomes papers that examine the unintended consequences of social policy on inequalities and demographic outcomes.
Unintended consequences include (1) overshooting original goals, (2) impact of conflicting policies that cancel each other out, or (3) any other negative or positive outcomes that may not have been originally anticipated. Examples of topics include national or cross-national research on policy effects on gender, class, ethnic, or other group inequalities.
Session organiser: Dr. Kathrin Morosow (University of Manchester) –kathrin.morosow@manchester.ac.uk
General and administrative queries: BSPS Secretariat – pic@lse.ac.uk
NOTES:
Submissions are now closed.
- Submissions from members & non-members are welcomed, as are those from early-career researchers.
- Presentations may be allocated to a different strand or session from that to which submission was made.
- A maximum of TWO submissions please as first author (or presenter for oral presentations).
- Short abstracts will be posted to the BSPS website (with contact email unless otherwise requested) and may be changed up to the end of July.
- Oral presentations will be organised into 90-minute sessions of 3-4 papers, with time for questions & discussion. Strand organisers or convenors will advise on the length of individual presentations or advise if a different format is planned.
- On submission, you will be requested to confirm you plan to present in person.
- Registration charges will apply for all attending, at member, non-member & student rates. Registration by the presenting author is required before the paper or poster is included in the final programme.
- Bursaries will be available for student members, or local government members whose employer will not cover their costs & are only available if presenting a paper or poster:
- Bursary applicants must be current BSPS members, and BSPS annual membership dues must be up to date at the time of application (on the online submission form)
- The number of bursaries on offer may be limited or partial depending on budgetary constraints, and an application for a bursary does not guarantee it will be successful.
- Bursaries usually cover registration and on-site accommodation plus meals, but not travel.
- Bursary recipients may be asked to assist on-site.