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Why Demography Needs (New) Theories [Audio]
Speaker(s): Professor Wendy Sigle | It is widely acknowledged that the theoretical perspectives that inform demographic inquiry have often come from other disciplines. While the influence of the rational actor paradigm and economic methodologies have exerted a prominent influence on how demographic research is conducted, mainstream (and quantitative) demography has remained remarkably impervious to the theoretical interventions of feminism and other critical perspectives. This lecture considers why this has been the case and, using examples from family demography, explores how these perspectives could be used to identify new questions and to set new methodological priorities. Wendy Sigle is Professor of Gender and Family Studies at the Gender Institute where she convenes the MSc programme in Gender, Policy and Inequalities. Her research has often explored how social scientists approach the study families and family policy - both conceptually and methodologically - and how empirical evidence can be (mis)interpreted in ways that lead to potentially harmful policy interventions. Diane Perrons is Director of the Gender Institute and Professor of Economic Geography and Gender Studies. The Gender Institute (@lsegendertweet) was established in 1993 to address the major intellectual challenges posed by contemporary changes in gender relations. This remains a central aim of the Institute today, which is the largest research and teaching unit of its kind in Europe.