Population research and spatial analysis: an interdisciplinary introduction and discussion session
With tremendous shifts in the accessibility of geographic data, software and related technologies, the currency of spatial analysis is growing across the population sciences. Several US population centers already have concentrations in spatial analysis (e.g. Brown’s Population Studies and Training Center, the Minnesota Pop Center, UNC Chapel Hill’s Carolina Pop Center etc.). Over the past decade, several new spatially-oriented journals have also emerged:
• In 2006 - Spatial Economic Analysis;
• In 2009 - Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology and Spatial Demography
• In 2013 - Special issue of Demographic Research focused on spatial demography.
Population researchers and students with interest in but limited or no experience with spatial analysis are invited to attend this discussion session to:
• Introduce spatial data and analysis to researchers and students through a spectrum of different projects;
• Provide a dynamic and interactive environment for learning and discussion;
• Be a catalyst for further discussions about what kinds of further activities researchers and students would like the CPD to sponsor or organize relative to spatial analysis.
Depending on the interests of members, possible outcomes of this session could include:
• additional information sessions;
• specialized training;
• speakers at the social stats and population dynamics speaker series;
• collaborations with McGill’s Geographic Information Centre staff and resources;
• new research collaborations among CPD members, etc.
Agenda:
| Speaker | Duration | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Sébastien Breau, Associate Professor, Geography | 30 min | Dr. Breau will introduce basic notions of exploratory spatial data analysis using materials drawn from his work on the spatial dimensions of income inequality in Canada. |
| 20 min | Questions and Discussion | |
| Sonia Laszlo, Associate Director, Institute for the Study of International Development and Associate Professor, Economics | 15 min | Dr. Laszlo will report on the spatial analysis used in a validation study of access to markets for rural agricultural producers in Peru. It compared self-reported and validated walking distance data from coffee, rice and potato producing areas in rural Peru |
| 10 min | Questions and Discussion | |
| Sarah Brauner-Otto, Assistant Professor, Sociology | 20 min | Dr. Brauner-Otto will report on the spatial data available through the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) in Nepal and described several spatial analyses that she has done with these data. |
| 10 min | Questions and Discussion | |
| 15 min | Discussion of next steps for CPD |
