Abstract
In December 2011 a specialist meeting on Future Directions of Spatial Demography brought together specialists from multiple disciplines to discuss the state of the science in spatial demography, emergent geospatial data and measurement issues, and spatial statistical methods (for further details on this specialist meeting see Matthews SA, Janelle DG, Goodchild MF, Future directions in spatial demography specialist meeting: final report, 2012). It is not the intent to review and update the discussions that took place at this meeting but rather to focus on arguably the most important cross-cutting theme that emerged from the meeting: instruction in spatial demography. In this chapter I will begin by discussing spatial perspectives in demographic research; this is both a selective review and as an introduction to emergent trends in geospatial data and methods. This opening section illustrates a major challenge associated with instruction in spatial demography, namely the breadth of topics that legitimately fall under an umbrella of spatial demography. Next I describe available instructional resources (courses, textbooks, software and other resources), few of which focus on demographic research, and then transition to a discussion of potential new directions and strategies (action items) in instruction in spatial demography.
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Notes
- 1.
The majority of attendees were geographers and sociologists, many other disciplines were represented, including anthropology, economics, epidemiology, health economics, and political science. Most participants were interested in demographic research questions. Full details about the specialist meeting, including a participant list, short position papers from participants, copies of presentations made during the meeting, and additional materials (including this report) can be found at http://ncgia.ucsb.edu/projects/spatial-demography/
- 2.
While discussions of spatial demography tend to be US focused it is important to acknowledge that international demographic research has long included an explicit spatial perspective to how demographic research is framed and how the data are collected, organized, and analyzed. Liverman et al. (1998) and Fox et al. (2003) both discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of remote sensing, GIS, and spatial econometrics and demonstrate how these tools have been used effectively to analyze the relationship between human activities and local environmental change. More recently, Weeks et al. (2013) illustrate how spatial concepts, data, and methods can be integrated in a study examining spatial inequalities in Accra, Ghana. Indeed, while the review to date has focused on US-based spatial demography innovation in spatial demography in international research has been high. Entwisle et al. (1997) was among the first papers to appear in Demography that explicitly used geospatial data (GIS and GPS) and spatial methods (spatial network analysis). GPS data were integrated with survey and administrative records for Nang Rong, Thailand, and this permitted a more nuanced analysis of contraceptive choice. In another early paper, Guilmoto and Rajan (2001) provided a rare illustration of the use of spatial correlograms and kriging methods applied to the study of fertility within India; the spatial variation in fertility across districts in India was not random and the spatial structure of fertility decline had intensified over time.
- 3.
Among the recommendations from ‘Rethinking the teaching of demography,’ Palloni (2002, p. 57) included a brief sentence suggesting that our training programs include “an option to learn about the nature and application of spatial statistics.”
- 4.
The diversity of the student body seeking out spatial demography courses is also a challenge. While there is high demand for such courses, often the diversity of the students’ background and experience (in geospatial data handling, cartography, quantitative methods) and their substantive interests creates other challenges associated with how to pitch and introduce spatial analytical methods.
- 5.
It is important to note that even at universities with geography programs and/or a GIS capacity, spatial training—especially training in advanced spatial analysis methods—may not be associated with geography and GIS programs.
- 6.
Paradoxically, there has been a growing number of online GIS certificate and Masters programs (see http://ucgis.org/gis-degree-programs) and professional organizations such as the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)—www.ucgis.org—developed model GIS curricula (UCGIS 2006) and is currently updating their Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge 2015 Project.
- 7.
It is worth noting that while the emphasis here is on graduate instruction in the US, the attendees of the specialist meeting recognized the need for training in spatial demography at all education levels (pre-university, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate) as well as infrastructure and initiatives that could facilitate exposure to spatial thinking and analysis across more distributed scholars, internationally.
- 8.
Several centers and organizations in the US and overseas will offer workshops on spatial analytic methods. These are usually one off events typically lasting 1 week. Similarly, spatial analytic methods are occasionally the subject of pre-conference workshops for national and international conferences; including the Population Association of America.
- 9.
The new journal, Spatial Demography, provides regular reviews of data, code, and software.
- 10.
The workshop format can be successful for both general training in spatial thinking and introductory spatial methods (see http://csiss.ncgia.ucsb.edu/GISPopSci/) and also in advanced methods workshops on specific methods such as spatial econometrics, pattern analysis, and geographically weighted regression (see http://csiss.ncgia.ucsb.edu/GISPopSci/). Matthews was PI of the grant that offered these workshops.
- 11.
Ideally workshop participants would review methods of instruction (e.g., use of open-source software, project-based exercises, classroom communication, and peer interaction). Participants would have opportunities to leverage teaching innovations (e.g., syllabi, course demonstrations, exercises, and learning assessments) by sharing their creations through a website, and this could serve the dual purpose of helping to build up collections of resources that would easily enable instructors to embed spatial thinking within their own demography curricula. This kind of model was used by CSISS in their Space workshops series (see http://www.spatial.ucsb.edu/affiliates/space.php).
- 12.
Webinars are already used by U.S. federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau—http://www.census.gov/mso/www/training/training_events.html) and many others besides.
- 13.
Studying and thinking about a spatial world does not always translate to a study of place, and as such spatial demography remains distinct from population geography.
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Matthews, S.A. (2016). Instruction in Spatial Demography. In: Howell, F., Porter, J., Matthews, S. (eds) Recapturing Space: New Middle-Range Theory in Spatial Demography. Spatial Demography Book Series, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22810-5_17
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