PopDigests Policy Briefs Discussion Papers Policy Insights Books and Reports Yearbook Policy Insights Researchers and collaboration partners of Population Europe as well as eminent experts from leading organisations contribute to the debate on demographic developments that are of public interest by providing insights into pressing policy issues. Filter by topic AllAgeing and Life ExpectancyEnvironmentFamily and ChildrenHealthMigration and IntegrationProjections and ForecastsSociety and SolidarityWorking Life Language AllEnglishGermanFrenchSpanish Order by Date Title Image 10/07/2024 A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts By Matthijs Kalmijn and Kène Henkens Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Read more about A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts Image 10/06/2024 Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns By Sol Pía Juárez & Enrico Debiasi Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, scholars at Stockholm University show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, Sol Pía Juárez and Enrico Debiasi show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Read more about Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns Image 27/05/2024 Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession By Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak & Anna Maliszewska Fertility trends can be relatively crisis-resilient. Numbers from two recent major crises in Europe show this. However, not all countries were able to stabilise or rebuild their fertility trends. New research by the EU-funded FutuRes project’s team at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics looks into resilience as a core concept for demographic change. Based on a recent review of research literature, they discuss how policies can enhance fertility resilience. Birth rates have decreased in all EU countries. Multiple crises have aggravated this trend. However, there are signs of crisis resilience in birth rates and family planning, as new research by the EU-funded project FutuRes shows. Read here what this means for policy. Read more about Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession Image 13/03/2024 What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? By Nicole Hiekel Contrary to expectations, better gender equality does not seem to directly result in terms of higher fertility rates. Does this mean that the related policy challenges were wrongly framed? There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. Therefore, the push for gender equality is something that policy makers should continue to take seriously. Read more about What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? Image 04/03/2024 How policy and science can work towards a rich data landscape in Europe By Jani Erola Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe. Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe. This would not only help European research to stay competitive, but also improve science-informed policy planning. Read more about How policy and science can work towards a rich data landscape in Europe Image 31/10/2023 Despite low fertility, Europe still taxes its own reproduction By Pieter Vanhuysse, Robert Iván Gál & Márton Medgyesi Over the working life, parents in Europe contribute on average about one-quarter fewer net taxes than non-parents. However, if taxes, private time and money are all taken into account and measured in comparable units, it shows that parents contribute over two-and-a-half times more than non-parents. Read more about Despite low fertility, Europe still taxes its own reproduction Image 17/10/2023 Fathers’ parental leave protects against alcohol-related morbidity By Helena Honkaniemi & Sol Pía Juárez (Stockholm University) New study shows a substantial reduction in alcohol-related hospitalisation rates within the two years after birth for fathers of children born following Sweden's parental leave reform. Read more about Fathers’ parental leave protects against alcohol-related morbidity Image 30/08/2023 Do training programmes for teachers ease the integration of refugee children? By Semih Tümen, Michael Vlassopoulos and Jackline Wahba Better preparation of teachers to face the multidimensional challenges in diverse educational settings could substantially improve the effectiveness of refugee integration policies. Read more about Do training programmes for teachers ease the integration of refugee children? Image 06/07/2023 Finding a viable path to “ageing” fertility in Europe By Eva Beaujouan, Marie-Caroline Compans and Lukas Gutmorgeth, for the project "Later Fertility in Europe" Since the 1970s, first births have been increasingly delayed in Europe. To complement policies that address the broader economic and social causes of delayed fertility, it is essential to raise awareness about the biological limits to late childbearing among young men and women. To complement policies that address the broader economic and social causes of delayed fertility, it is essential to raise awareness about the biological limits to late childbearing. Read more about Finding a viable path to “ageing” fertility in Europe Image 28/06/2023 Low birth rates: Ten steps towards more baby-friendly policies for 2024 and beyond by Anna Rotkirch, Population Research Institute, Väestöliitto (The Family Federation of Finland) Europe needs to prevent a freefall of fertility rates, as currently witnessed in many countries in East Asia. But policymakers should avoid pointless strategies like coercion to get people to have more children. Research shows that people want more kids, but Europe is simply not baby-friendly enough. Here are the cost-effective ways to fix this. Research shows that people want more kids, but Europe is simply not baby-friendly enough. Here are the cost-effective ways to fix this. Read more about Low birth rates: Ten steps towards more baby-friendly policies for 2024 and beyond Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 … Next page › Last page »
Image 10/07/2024 A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts By Matthijs Kalmijn and Kène Henkens Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Read more about A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts
Image 10/06/2024 Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns By Sol Pía Juárez & Enrico Debiasi Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, scholars at Stockholm University show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, Sol Pía Juárez and Enrico Debiasi show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Read more about Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns
Image 27/05/2024 Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession By Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak & Anna Maliszewska Fertility trends can be relatively crisis-resilient. Numbers from two recent major crises in Europe show this. However, not all countries were able to stabilise or rebuild their fertility trends. New research by the EU-funded FutuRes project’s team at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics looks into resilience as a core concept for demographic change. Based on a recent review of research literature, they discuss how policies can enhance fertility resilience. Birth rates have decreased in all EU countries. Multiple crises have aggravated this trend. However, there are signs of crisis resilience in birth rates and family planning, as new research by the EU-funded project FutuRes shows. Read here what this means for policy. Read more about Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession
Image 13/03/2024 What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? By Nicole Hiekel Contrary to expectations, better gender equality does not seem to directly result in terms of higher fertility rates. Does this mean that the related policy challenges were wrongly framed? There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. Therefore, the push for gender equality is something that policy makers should continue to take seriously. Read more about What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox?
Image 04/03/2024 How policy and science can work towards a rich data landscape in Europe By Jani Erola Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe. Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe. This would not only help European research to stay competitive, but also improve science-informed policy planning. Read more about How policy and science can work towards a rich data landscape in Europe
Image 31/10/2023 Despite low fertility, Europe still taxes its own reproduction By Pieter Vanhuysse, Robert Iván Gál & Márton Medgyesi Over the working life, parents in Europe contribute on average about one-quarter fewer net taxes than non-parents. However, if taxes, private time and money are all taken into account and measured in comparable units, it shows that parents contribute over two-and-a-half times more than non-parents. Read more about Despite low fertility, Europe still taxes its own reproduction
Image 17/10/2023 Fathers’ parental leave protects against alcohol-related morbidity By Helena Honkaniemi & Sol Pía Juárez (Stockholm University) New study shows a substantial reduction in alcohol-related hospitalisation rates within the two years after birth for fathers of children born following Sweden's parental leave reform. Read more about Fathers’ parental leave protects against alcohol-related morbidity
Image 30/08/2023 Do training programmes for teachers ease the integration of refugee children? By Semih Tümen, Michael Vlassopoulos and Jackline Wahba Better preparation of teachers to face the multidimensional challenges in diverse educational settings could substantially improve the effectiveness of refugee integration policies. Read more about Do training programmes for teachers ease the integration of refugee children?
Image 06/07/2023 Finding a viable path to “ageing” fertility in Europe By Eva Beaujouan, Marie-Caroline Compans and Lukas Gutmorgeth, for the project "Later Fertility in Europe" Since the 1970s, first births have been increasingly delayed in Europe. To complement policies that address the broader economic and social causes of delayed fertility, it is essential to raise awareness about the biological limits to late childbearing among young men and women. To complement policies that address the broader economic and social causes of delayed fertility, it is essential to raise awareness about the biological limits to late childbearing. Read more about Finding a viable path to “ageing” fertility in Europe
Image 28/06/2023 Low birth rates: Ten steps towards more baby-friendly policies for 2024 and beyond by Anna Rotkirch, Population Research Institute, Väestöliitto (The Family Federation of Finland) Europe needs to prevent a freefall of fertility rates, as currently witnessed in many countries in East Asia. But policymakers should avoid pointless strategies like coercion to get people to have more children. Research shows that people want more kids, but Europe is simply not baby-friendly enough. Here are the cost-effective ways to fix this. Research shows that people want more kids, but Europe is simply not baby-friendly enough. Here are the cost-effective ways to fix this. Read more about Low birth rates: Ten steps towards more baby-friendly policies for 2024 and beyond