Topic

Demographic Research on Countries of the Global South

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For some time now, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock, Germany have been studying population developments in countries of the Global South. In doing so, they repeatedly show clear differences to countries of the Global North. This page provides an overview of the current research. 


Mortality

Mortality, fertility and migration - the three pillars of demography influence the development of populations worldwide. Not only in countries of the Global South, changing the perspective from the number of children who died to the number of mothers who lost a child in their lifetime opens up the possibility to analyze the far-reaching consequences of child death for families.


Fertility

In the area of fertility, MPIDR Researchers study how birth rates develop in urban and rural areas, or how the fact whether mothers breastfeed influences the birth rate.


Migration

In the area of migration, MPIDR Researchers are studying how natural disasters affect migration patterns or which regions are growing faster than others and why.


Science of Science

In a context of existing inequalities in the production of science MPIDR Researchers argue that a view that considers knowledge produced in or about the Global North as more ‘universal’ or ‘generalizable,’ whereas knowledge about the South is considered ‘specific’ and ‘localized is a form of Eurocentrism.

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.