Event Review

Expert Online Workshop on Cultural Demography

Online workshop 30 April, 2025

Source: Pixabay/ Pexels

Introduction

Demography, political science and the humanities – how can they learn from each other? There are many ways, how demographics and policies to address the challenges of demographic change interact with culturally defined and historically evolved social norms, concepts, perceptions, traditions and ideologies. Critically, this interdisciplinary perspective can also produce a better understanding of how to ensure societies are more resilient now and in the future.

In our online workshop on 'Cultural Demography', we explored these questions with a panel of distinguished researchers from the social sciences and humanities, as well as other disciplines. Attracting almost 600 participants from over 70 countries worldwide, the workshop demonstrated the topic's significant global relevance.

The workshop was organised by Population Europe, Bocconi University and the University College Cork for FutuRes, an EU-funded collaborative research project. The event was also part of the Population Europe Policy Lab, which brings together eminent researchers and policymakers to discuss policy-relevant population developments, as well as to develop new research approaches from inter- and transdisciplinary perspectives.

Panel 1: Cultural Demography

Chair: Andreas Edel | Speakers: Ron Lesthaeghe, Sigrid Weigel and Pieter Vanhuysse

Although demographic patterns relating to family and fertility, longevity and mortality as well as mobility and migration can be described and analysed empirically, they also give rise to questions that cannot be answered by empirical social research alone. Culture, for instance, serves to transmit values and norms within a society, and can be defined as a system of intergenerational cooperation over time. Our interpretation of life-course events as either desirable or disastrous, as well as the lifestyle options prevalent in a society or among certain age groups, are strongly influenced by culture. A particularly promising approach is one that draws on empirical social research and the humanities to explain human behaviours and population developments in their cultural and normative contexts, and over space and time. This includes avoiding a Eurocentric perspective when describing general demographic trends.

"Adopting a perspective on demographics informed by humanities approaches might also help us to frame political demography more efficiently."

Adopting a perspective on demographics informed by humanities approaches might also help us to frame political demography more efficiently. For instance, a public discourse focusing solely on fertility rates can reduce life to a mere societal function or even norm, rather than supporting childbearing as individually desirable. Moreover, these societal norms are often not applied consistently. For example, family policies that encourage childbearing at the microeconomic level often tax it at the macroeconomic level, thus creating economic disincentives for having children. More generally, shifting the focus from societal norms to interpersonal relationships in demographic behaviours could make us more resilient to authoritarian approaches and the concept of 'population engineering' or 'biopolitics' (Foucault), where the lives of individuals or entire populations are controlled by political, societal or economic actors.

Another area that benefits from a closer collaboration with the humanities is our understanding of the epistemological foundations of demography, which remain under-explored. The widely used concept of 'cohort', for instance, emerged from historical developments in modern society that shifted the understanding of generations away from concepts such as genealogy and heredity.

Panel 2: Cultural Demography of Diversity

Chair: Adrian Favell | Speakers: Steven Vertovec, François Héran and Michèle Lamont

Another policy-relevant topic influenced by dominant societal narratives, as well as historical and cultural contexts is the categorisation of minority, racial and ethnic identities. This is particularly evident in census design, as well as in public debates and election campaigns. Such categorisations often neglect growing population diversity with regard to countries of origin, as well as the increasing number of receiving versus sending countries. Additionally, there is often a discrepancy between state-attributed categories and self-attributed identities. Demographers and government censuses must therefore consider how to account for these complexities. In this context, the broader question arises as to whether this type of categorisation can be maintained under the conditions of “superdiversity” (Steven Vertovec).

Diversity also encompasses the various ways in which immigrants are welcomed within a receiving society. The way local cultures approach immigration and emigration varies not only between countries, but also regions. This presents a challenge to centralised policy approaches that aim to fairly distribute the social and economic benefits and costs resulting from migration. Additionally, cultural differences in how political actions are perceived or interpreted add another layer of complexity to this political challenge.

"How can we successfully build communities that promote social cohesion and a sense of belonging?"

Finally, with regard to migration, the term 'culture' is considered rather vague and would benefit from being replaced by a more specific set of measurable concepts. Examples of these include 'frame', 'narrative', 'social identity', 'symbolic boundary', 'repertoire' and 'institution'. In any case, these distinctions capture social identities more accurately than census categories do. While individuals primarily view themselves through the lens of their social identity, they are also in constant dialogue with the official categories imposed on them. This feeds back into how they define their social identity. In light of these dynamics, how can we successfully build communities that promote social cohesion and a sense of belonging? Multiple perspectives from research and society are needed to understand how we can successfully cooperate on an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary level to achieve this objective.

Panel 3: Social Resilience – 'Families' and Alternative Support Networks

Chair: Arnstein Aassve | Speakers: Ruth Zafran and Vegard Skirbekk

Since cultural factors appear to play a significant role in declining fertility rates, this panel examined two cultural aspects that influence the perception, practice and conceptualisation of families: family law and religious attitudes.

It is apparent that demographic change affects our legal responses to population developments, while legal instruments in turn can affect demographic developments. This is particularly evident in family law. Family law significantly influences childbearing decisions and how people support each other throughout life. It can support families and alternative support networks by recognising different relationship models, forms of parenting, partnerships, and care provision. Conversely, it can ignore realities of how people form families and support networks, with severe consequences for fertility and well-being, which can result in exclusion and oppression. As social change is inevitable, the law must evolve to accommodate the increasing diversity of ways in which people choose to live and support each other. Since law-making is part of the political process, it is essential that those responsible for making decisions in policy areas relevant to demography take these implications into account.

"Many religions promote pro-natalist norms and values."

Religious attitudes also influence population dynamics. Although fertility rates vary between different faith groups, many religions promote pro-natalist norms and values that encourage close bonds between blood-relations and the sharing of resources between them across generations. These factors encourage people to have children earlier and more frequently. People with strong religious values are also typically more willing to provide the necessary social and economic resources for raising children. By contrast, population groups that are more secular tend to be better educated, healthier and have higher incomes. In these societies, public authorities must be prepared to provide greater support for intergenerational care in order to encourage childbirth and childcare.

Panel 4: Health and Ageing in Welfare States of the 21st Century

Chair: Verena Klusmann-Weißkopf | Speakers: Vanessa di Lego and Kaspar Staub

Another fundamental concept in demography is age. Although it appears objective in terms of the chronological span of human lives, much about it is in fact deeply rooted in cultural assumptions that are socially and historically contingent. As a key indicator used to monitor population groups, attribute retirement benefits or categorise populations, the concept of age requires review. This is because ageing is tied not only to objective measurements such as date of birth, but also to individual perceptions of age and ability, as well as social environments. Furthermore, life expectancy depends not only on date of birth, but also on more complex factors such as having a life purpose that keeps one engaged, health status, and being sufficiently embedded in social relationships. Chronological age is also associated with societal expectations and norms that vary by gender, which may help explain gender differences in mortality.

Furthermore, cultural perceptions of health and ageing are crucial for interpreting historical data in demographic research. Past datasets help explain demographic phenomena and how populations have responded to events such as pandemics. As this data was collected and stored under different cultural and normative assumptions, a strong focus on culture and historical research is required to produce results showing demographic developments over long periods.

What's next? Conclusive thoughts on interdisciplinary collaboration between demography and the humanities

The workshop demonstrated that ongoing reflection and reflexivity when it comes to the cultural implications, historical origins and ethical ramifications of demographic concepts is key to providing effective analysis and policy advice. Such a multidimensional approach can enrich the guidance that demographers offer to stakeholders in politics, business, and civil society. Integrating insights such as social norms, perceptions, and expectations that shape individual life decisions supports a deeper understanding of demographic change and enables more nuanced, context-sensitive responses to its challenges. More of such discussions are needed to substantially contribute to the development of interdisciplinary methodologies for analysing population trends and developing theories in the field of population studies.

Chairs

Arnstein Aassve (Principal Investigator of the FutuRes Project and Professor of Demography at the Department of Social and Political Sciences at Bocconi University)

Andreas Edel (Executive Secretary at Population Europe)

Adrian Favell (Founding director of the Radical Humanities Laboratory and Professor of Social and Political Theory at University College Cork)

Verena Klusmann-Weißkopf (Professor for Health Promotion and Prevention at Furtwangen University)

Speakers

François Héran (Professor at Collège de France, holder of the chair “Migrations et sociétés” and President of the Institut Convergances Migrations)

Michèle Lamont (Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies and Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies at the Department of Sociology at Harvard University)

Ron Lesthaeghe (Emeritus Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussels)

Vanessa di Lego (Professor of Demography at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais)

Vegard Skirbekk (Founding Principal Investigator at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Professor for Health-, Development-, and Personality psychology at the Department of Psychology at Oslo University, and Professor of Population and Family Health at the Columbia Aging Center at Columbia University)

Kaspar Staub (Adjunct Professor and Head of the Anthropometrics & Historical Epidemiology Group at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Bern)

Pieter Vanhuysse (Professor of Political Economy and Public Policy at the Department of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark)

Steven Vertovec (Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen

Sigrid Weigel (Former Director of the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research)

Ruth Zafran (Professor for Family Law at the Radzyner School of Law at Reichmann University)