Call for thematic issue papers

Guest editors:

Jelena Zvezdanović Lobanova, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade

Dijana Štrbac, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade

Thematic issue: Sociodemographic trends and sustainable development

The concept of sustainable development implies promoting well-being by fostering a harmonious balance between economic progress, environmental conservation, and social equity i.e. the establishment of societies characterized by peace, justice, and inclusivity. The UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, comprising 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), envisage the advancement of holistic development (economically, socially, and environmentally) on the global level, ensuring inclusivity and prioritizing the needs of the most marginalized social groups.

The sociodemographic trends can have profound effect on current and future socioeconomic challenges. The trajectory and speed of these trends exhibit significant differences among nations, characterized by substantial demographic disparities between regions burdened by widespread poverty accompanied by high fertility rates and catalysts for global economic expansion marked by rapid population aging. Anticipated demographic disparities might jeopardize the attainment of the SDGs goals and pose new challenges, but at the same time, also offer new opportunities.

As our global community navigates unprecedented demographic shifts, technological advancements, and environmental challenges, understanding sociodemographic dimensions is essential to developing effective strategies that promote lasting social, economic and environmental sustainability. Demographic patterns, which include factors such as population dynamics, ageing and migration, weave a tapestry that profoundly affects the course of sustainable development at local and global levels. Technological progress, which drives economic growth and socioeconomic inequalities, is dynamically interrelated. However, this technological push also triggers environmental risks and requires a delicate balance to address the sociodemographic dimensions of environmental challenges. Successful sustainable development initiatives take into account the diverse characteristics of populations and promote equity, inclusion, resilience and environmental responsibility. By reconciling demographic considerations with sustainable development goals, societies can overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities for long-term well-being.

The aim of this thematic issue is to encourage interdisciplinary research and discussions that shed light on the interplay between sociodemographic trends and sustainable development. We invite authors from different scientific fields including demography, economics, sociology, political sciences, anthropology, geography, environmental studies, gender studies and areas beyond this scope that are interested in investigating this complex topic. The thematic issue is open to submissions of both high quality theoretical and empirical research articles.

The topics of interest to the thematic issue:

• Population dynamics and sustainable development: assessing the impact of evolving pattern of birth and death rates and age structure on sustainable development outcomes.
• Social and economic implications of ageing population: fiscal and budgetary sustainability, healthcare, social security and intergenerational relations; examining the links between sociodemographic factors, health outcomes, and overall well-being.
• Technological advancements and demographic shifts: technological development as driver of economic growth and improvements in living standard; demographic responses to technological changes; the role of digital literacy in shaping demographic transitions.
• The environmental risks of demographic and technological change: sociodemographic dimensions of environmental risks and their impact on sustainable development; assessing policies that address demographic disparities in environmental access and risks.
• Migration patterns and cultural diversity: sociodemographic aspects of migration; the role of inclusive policies in leveraging the benefits of diverse populations for sustainable development.
• Sociodemographic factors of income inequality: the role of age, gender, education, ethnicity, and changes in family structure in the distribution of income within society.
• Sustainable development through the prism of workforce participation, labor force qualification and gender equality issues.
• Education and human capital: the relationship between education levels, human capital development, and sustainable economic growth; the role of non-formal education and lifelong learning in in the pursuit of sustainable development goals.

Submission guidelines

All interested authors should submit their abstract in English (between 200 and 300 words) via the submission form by 31 March 2024. Guest editors will inform all authors about the outcome of the selection of abstracts no later than 15 April 2024.

Guest editors will invite the authors of selected abstracts to submit their full papers on the journal’s web platform from 15 April to 31 July 2024 – a special submission option for the thematic issue will be available from 15 April 2024. For detailed techical instructions on preparing manuscripts for submission to Stanovnistvo, see the Author guidelines. All manuscript types are acceptable – research papers, review articles, short communications, scientific critiques and polemics, reviews and reflections, etc.

Submission deadlines:

• Abstracts by 31 March 2024
• Full papers by 31 July 2024