PREMIUM_EU at The Population Association of America’s

2024 May 25

Our Spanish team from The Centre for Demographic Study, Autonomous University of Barcelona represented the European perspective and PREMIUM_EU’s methodologies in the US.

The Population Association of America's (PAA) Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, brought together scholars and practitioners to share the latest research on population studies. The event is one of the foremost gatherings for demographic experts, focusing on critical issues such as migration, fertility, and population health. For PREMIUM_EU, this was a prime opportunity to present its findings on how migration impacts regional vulnerabilities in Spain.

Presenting: "Migrations and Vulnerability: Regional Pathways in Spain"

Osama Damoun's PREMIUM_EU’s poster, Migrations and Vulnerability: Regional Pathways in Spain, was featured in the migration session of the conference. The study utilized fast demography rates at the NUTS-3 level across 50 Spanish provinces and developed a vulnerability indicator based on nine variables, using the Mazziotta-Pareto method. The research aimed to capture how migration dynamics interact with regional vulnerabilities, highlighting that, while general convergence was observed, native emigration remained a pressing issue in vulnerable areas.

 

Relevance and Audience Feedback

The poster presentation sparked interest in the methodology behind constructing the vulnerability index and the selection of variables, as some of the audience questioned the availability and applicability of similar data in other contexts. The constructive feedback helped the team identify ways to further refine the indicator and improve its utility in cross-country comparisons.

Broader Implications for Regional Development

This work forms part of PREMIUM_EU’s broader objective to demonstrate the unseen benefits of migration for regional development. The insights gained from this presentation will feed into future analyses, where similar models will be applied to other countries involved in the project.