Journal Article

Sequence analysis in demographic research and application

Billari, F. C.
Canadian Studies in Population, 28:2, 439–458 (2001)

Abstract

This paper examines the salient features of sequence analysis in demographic research. The new approach allows a holistic perspective on life course analysis, and is based on a representation of lives as sequences of states. Some of the methods fro analysing such data are sketched, from complex description to optimal matching to monothetic divisive algorithms. After a short illustration of a demographically relevant example, the needs in terms of data collection ad the opportunities of applying the same approach to synthetic data are discussed.
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.