Refering: Adele Menniti adele.menniti@cnr.it
Population dynamics and how they interact require specific investigations and keys of interpretation in order to highlight their social impact and identify suitable policies for the new demands and emerging complexities. Hence, the project has put together lines of research on the interconnections existing between the changes observed in behaviours, the subjective component of experience, and the dimension of regulations and policies, with attention on different spheres of everyday life (family, free time, work, education…). The rapidity of the change, the emergence of new categories of persons and relations between cultures, as well as the identification of new practices for intervention in the social sphere require innovative and in-depth analysis, highlighting intersections and new balances. This goal is pursued by adopting an interdisciplinary approach that combines keys of interpretation belonging to the demographic, political and sociological domains, in order to produce advancements in the knowledge of the trends underway, to provide useful elements for directing political actions, and to highlight new needs expressed by society and new information needs. As part of the activities, methodological and conceptual tools have been drawn up to investigate the private and public spaces where the processes of transformation, conflict and blending are taking place, using transversal approaches and keys of analysis such as gender and studies on time use, while also focussing attention on relevant issues such as equal opportunities, social integration and the emergence of new vulnerabilities. Lastly, the project turns its attention to devising/realizing activities for awareness-raising and divulging the scientific work. POGES is divided into the following topic areas: a) Gender studies; b) Social inclusion and youth lifestyles; c) Violence against women and new vulnerabilities; d) Scientific divulgation events and actions.
The research activity is aimed at empirical analysis and theoretical investigation and intends to create new knowledge on current social dynamics. The studies carried out make use both of data from official sources and from investigations performed ad hoc on selected groups of the population. The scientific content is typical of social research, hence use is made of quantitative and qualitative investigation tools (statistical analysis of the data from institutional sources, also with the use of statistical models; creation of sample surveys with questionnaires to administer through direct interviews, CATI and CAWI, and qualitative research conducted through in-depth interviews and focus groups; scenario planning), as well as continually updated literature on the fields of interest.
Key words: Policy, population, gender, students, inclusion