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High Level Experts Online Conference | 11.06.2024Why demographic research is essential
To what extent can politicians influence demographic developments and what information do they need to do so? What is the status of data on the basis of which evidence-based policy advice and policy making is possible? These questions were discussed by high-ranking international and national experts, including BiB Director Prof. Dr. C. Katharina Spieß, at the online conference “Why Demography Matters. Population and Policy in the 21st Century” hosted by BiB and Population Europe on 3 May 2024.
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All participants in the discussion agreed that demographic ageing is continuing. Politicians are therefore faced with the challenge of shaping demographic change not only in the short term, but also in the longer term. According to Prof. Spieß, one focus could be on researching the associated inequalities between socio-demographic groups and the unequal living conditions between regions. After all, these disparities characterise people's lives and thus demographic events. She argued in favour of a targeted policy for regions and different social groups. When assessing which groups these are, a life course perspective is very helpful. The focus should also be on educational trajectories, from early education to education in old age.
Subjective well-being as an adjusting screw
There should also be a greater focus on the subjective well-being of the population, as this influences people's demographic decisions and an increase in well-being can help to stabilise democracies. The longer-term perspective plays a decisive role in the political handling of demographic change, as some participants emphasised. "A long-term perspective based on evidence-based policy is immensely important. Twenty years ago, the consequences of demographic change were already being pointed out and few people listened. Today, when the problems are very tangible, things are different - because many people experience the skills shortage in their everyday lives," said Prof. Spieß. The panel agreed that politics can primarily influence demographic developments indirectly.
Qualitative dimension of change
When looking at demographic change, the quantitative dimension is usually emphasised, for example the finding that more older people and fewer people overall will live in Germany in the future. However, it is not just about the number of people, but also about other aspects such as their education, their health and their scope of employment. In Germany, for example, there is a high proportion of women working part-time compared to other countries. Against this backdrop, the discussion on how to counter the declining labour force must also focus on women's employment volume. "How can we realise their employment aspirations? Why do many women work part-time into old age?" BiB Director Spieß believes that these are all important questions.
Reliable data as the basis for policy advice
Evidence-based policy advice requires good and reliable data. According to Prof. Spieß, the overall situation in Germany is not satisfactory. "It is important to invest in the provision of data and the public data infrastructure and to provide resources for those who can analyse this data using the latest methods. This requires excellent researchers." There are also great opportunities in linking data sets, which need to be expanded even further while protecting data privacy. Data at regional level also plays a particularly important role here.