Digital Demography WSE-BD-DC

sociology

(in Polish) nie dotyczy

I. Contact hours (total: 15 h) *Participation in seminar sessions: 15 h II. Independent student work (total: 35 h) *Preparation for classes (reading assigned texts, reviewing researc examples): 15 h *Preparation of presentations / notes / case studies: 10 h * Preparation for the final assessment (e.g., essay, presentation, test): 10 h Total student workload: 50 h Number of ECTS credits: 2

elementary

BDAS2_W09 BDAS2_U11 BDAS2_K04

obligatory

Students possess basic knowledge of the phenomenon of big data and are familiar with the methods used for its analysis.

## Learning Outcomes – *Digital Demography*

### Knowledge
- The student knows the basic concepts and theoretical frameworks of digital demography and understands how the digital revolution generates new large-scale data sources (big data, 3V/5V).
- The student understands the specificity of digital trace data as well as their potential and limitations in demographic research.
- The student is familiar with examples of big data applications in the analysis of population processes, including health, fertility, migration, and partnership formation.
- The student understands fundamental methods of data analysis used in the social sciences, and in demography in particular, that are necessary for the interpretation of digital data sources.

### Skills
- The student is able to identify and critically evaluate different digital data sources relevant to demographic research.
- The student can apply selected analytical methods to interpret digital trace data in the context of population processes.
- The student is able to indicate the opportunities and limitations of using big data in demographic forecasting and in the calculation of population health risks.
- The student can analyze empirical studies in the field of digital demography and draw conclusions for research practice.

### Social Competences
- The student recognizes the ethical and social implications of using digital data in demographic research.
- The student is aware of the growing heterogeneity of data sources and is able to critically assess their reliability.
- The student understands the role of digital demography in explaining contemporary population processes and in shaping public policies.

The final grade is based on two components:

**I. Student presentations and participation in discussions**
Participants prepare and deliver presentations based on assigned materials, both individually and in groups, and are evaluated on their active engagement in class discussions. Each student will present selected topics several times during the course—sometimes individually, sometimes as part of a team. The following aspects will be assessed:

1. **Substantive content of the presentation** – clarity, completeness of the message, and depth of topic coverage.
2. **Understanding of the material** – degree of knowledge acquisition and ability to convey it to peers.
3. **Quality of the presentation** – structure, readability, visual appeal, and effective use of tools.
4. **Ability to respond to questions** – accuracy and clarity of answers during the discussion following the presentation.
5. **Active participation in discussion** – asking questions, providing comments, and constructively engaging with others’ presentations.
6. **Critical thinking** – ability to analyze material and formulate independent opinions in line with the principles of academic debate.
7. **Ethics and respect in discussion** – adherence to the norms of academic exchange and respect for differing viewpoints.

**II. Single-choice test**
A written test assessing knowledge of the basic concepts of digital demography, based on the literature discussed in class.

Presentations and class participation – 50%

Single-choice test – 50%

Kashyap, R., Zagheni, E. (2023). Leveraging Digital and Computational Demography for Policy Insights. In: Bertoni, E., Fontana, M., Gabrielli, L., Signorelli, S., Vespe, M. (eds) Handbook of Computational Social Science for Policy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16624-2_17

Nina Cesare, Hedwig Lee, Tyler McCormick, Emma Spiro, Emilio Zagheni; Promises and Pitfalls of Using Digital Traces for Demographic Research. Demography 1 October 2018; 55 (5): 1979–1999. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-018-0715-2

Gil-Clavel, S., & Zagheni, E. (2019). Demographic Differentials in Facebook Usage around the World. Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, 13(01), 647-650. https://doi.org/10.1609/icwsm.v13i01.3263

Sîrbu, A., Andrienko, G., Andrienko, N. et al. Human migration: the big data perspective. Int J Data Sci Anal 11, 341–360 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41060-020-00213-5

Leasure, D.R., Kashyap, R., Rampazzo, F., Dooley, C.A., Elbers, B., Bondarenko, M., Verhagen, M., Frey, A., Yan, J., Akimova, E.T., Fatehkia, M., Trigwell, R., Tatem, A.J., Weber, I. and Mills, M.C. (2023), Nowcasting Daily Population Displacement in Ukraine through Social Media Advertising Data. Population and Development Review, 49: 231-254. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12558

Sironi, M., & Kashyap, R. (2021). Internet access and partnership formation in the United States. Population Studies, 76(3), 427–445. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2021.1999485

Francesco C. Billari, Osea Giuntella & Luca Stella (2019) Does
broadband Internet affect fertility?, Population Studies, 73:3, 297-316, DOI:
10.1080/00324728.2019.1584327

Rowe, R. (2021). Social determinants of health in the Big Data mode of population health risk calculation. Big Data & Society, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517211062881 (Original work published 2021)

Wilde, J., Chen, W., Lohmann, S. and Abdel Ghany, J. (2024), Digital Trace Data and Demographic Forecasting: How Well Did Google Predict the US COVID-19 Baby Bust?. Population and Development Review, 50: 421-446. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12647

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

• Description of WSE-BD-DC in USOSweb