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August 22, 2025 | News | New Publication

Out-of-Home Care for Children in Finland Has Doubled Since 1993, New Research Shows

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Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) analyzed how the risk of Finnish children being placed in out-of-home care has evolved. In 1993 fewer than three percent of children were expected to be placed in care, but by 2020 this figure had risen to six percent. more

August 07, 2025 | News | Spotlight

The Skill to Lead Helps Men Form a Family

istockphoto.com/StefaNikolic

Steffen Peters, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), used register data to predict the likelihood of young men in Sweden forming a family based on their leadership skills. He found that those with higher leadership skills at the age of 17 to 20 years were 10–15 percent more likely to be married by the age of 39. more

August 05, 2025 | News | Excellent!

Lara Bister receives German Thesis Award

David Ausserhofer/Körber-Stiftung

Lara Bister received the first prize in the social sciences section of the Körber Foundation's German Thesis Award for her doctoral thesis on economic crises and health, with a focus on the long-term health effects of German reunification on children born during the transition period in East Germany. She began her academic career as a participant in the EDSD and IMPRS-PHDS doctoral programs at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. more

July 22, 2025 | News | New Publication

Predicting Migration Flows by Gender Is Difficult with Current Data and Models

istockphoto.com/Naeblys

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) examined the limitations of theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding gender-specific migration trends. The study's findings reveal that the predictive performance of gravity-type models varies significantly based on the gender composition of migration flows. more

July 17, 2025 | News | Blog@MPIDR

MPIDR on Tour – Two Months at the UN in NYC

istockphoto.com / OlegAlbinsky

In spring 2025 Henrik Schubert, Research Scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and newly graduated PhD from the University of Oxford, spent two months at the United Nations Population Division (UN) in New York City, USA. Henrik had the opportunity to apply his academic knowledge to the practical science being undertaken at the UN by observing and participating in its political work and workflows. And he got to experience what it's like to live in New York City.  more

July 08, 2025 | News | Recommended Reading

How is Depression Linked to Childlessness?

istockphoto.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz

In a paper published in November 2024, Sanna Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist, Mikko Myrskylä, and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and University of Helsinki examined the relationship between depression, as measured by antidepressant use, and childlessness. Using Finnish total population register data for cohorts born between 1977 and 1980, they found a positive association between depression and childlessness. more

July 03, 2025 | News

New IUSSP Panel on Kinship Structures, Dynamics and Inequalities

iStockphoto.com / Macrovector

We are happy to announce that the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) has recently created the Scientific Panel Kinship Structures, Dynamics and Inequalities, chaired by Diego Alburez-Gutierrez from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR). The steering committee of the panel includes Saroja Adhikari and Bettina Hünteler (MPIDR), Prof. Luca Maria Pesando (New York University Abu Dhabi), Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan (National University of Singapore) and Ashton Verdery (Pennsylvania State University). more

July 02, 2025 | Press Release

Rapid Demographic Changes Reshape Family Structures

iStockphoto.com / DisobeyArt

Declining birth rates and rising life expectancy are reshaping the size and age structure of families worldwide. A recent study reveals that the question is not only whether these changes will occur, but also how quickly they will unfold. Analyses of real population data from Thailand, Indonesia, Ghana and Nigeria as well as stylized scenarios confirm this trend. In countries undergoing rapid demographic change, people with an age difference of only five to ten years may have drastically different kinship networks. The swift decline in, and evolving age structure of, these networks can significantly weaken traditional chains of mutual family support. more

July 01, 2025 | Defo News

Family planning and health of migrants

MPIDR

In this issue of Demografischen Forschung Aus Erster Hand, all three articles are dedicated to the topic of Family planning and health of migrants. more

June 30, 2025 | News | Congratulations

Antonino Polizzi Successfully Defended his Doctoral Thesis

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In May, Antonino Polizzi successfully defended his doctoral thesis, "The Causes and the Consequences of Growing Life Expectancy Shortfalls" at the University of Oxford. more

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The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.