Research projects

2025 

ROAM-BE Research on people from sub-Saharan Africa in Belgium 

The ROAM-BE project consisted of conducting a representative statistical survey of 923 people from sub-Saharan Africa in Belgium, with the aim of better understanding their situation and experiences. The survey covered a variety of topics: migration pathways, family, education, employment, living conditions, housing, administrative experiences, health, experiences of racism and discrimination, issues of belonging, and links with the country of origin. 
Coordination: Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD). 
Project leaders: Marie-Laurence Flahaux and Bruno Schoumaker 
Collaboration: Free University of Brussels (ULB), Ghent University (UGent). 
Funding: King Baudouin Foundation. 

STALLED FOR GOOD? Identifying coexisting and potentially conflicting norms of good motherhood in Belgium 

Background. Women have made great strides toward gender equality in professional life, and gender egalitarian attitudes have become widespread. Nevertheless, women much more than men reduce their work for caregiving responsibilities. A recent European directive aims to promote gender equality. This attempt contrasts with the prevailing idea that women are mainly responsible for their children's care. Normative models that oscillate between traditional and modern mother roles are likely to reduce the effectiveness of recent policies and may thwart economic progress. Despite many studies investigating this stalled revolution, a differentiated view on coexisting and potentially conflicting motherhood norms remains elusive, since within-country norm plurality has been neglected. 
Objectives. This project aims a) to reconstruct normative discourses of good motherhood in their plurality; b) to evaluate whether a common point of reference exists across different social groups and across national contexts c) to understand how norm plurality situates in mothers’ daily life and how they relate to mothers’ employment behavior 
Method. We draw on Belgium as an excellent case study; its leave policy combines high levels of flexibility and gender neutrality and may serve as a role model; still, take-up remains gendered. Relying on a multi-method sequential approach, we analyze survey data and conduct focus group discussions to identify normative discourses. Drawing on a most-different cases design, we aim to compare our results in a collaboration project with Austria. Using individual interviews, we study how mothers integrate these normative constructs into their everyday lives. Finally, we estimate how conflicting norms relate to mothers' employment. 
Contribution. By identifying motherhood norms in their plurality, this project will establish a basis for future research on the individual and social consequences of conformity to and deviance from norms. 
Project leader: Christine Schnor 
Researchers: Christine Schnor, Laetitia Bideau, Clara Maréchal, Jonathan Dedonder 
National and international collaborations: University of Vienna: Prof. Ulrike Zartler, Dr. Eva-Maria Schmidt & Fabienne Décieux. 
Funding: FNRS (PDR) 
Project duration: 01/2022-12/2025 

New survey measures of mortality at older ages in low and middle-income countries 

Following large declines in childhood mortality and progress in lowering mortality from causes of death that affect young adults (e.g.,HIV/AIDS), mortality is rapidly shifting to older age groups in low- and lower middle-income countries (LLMICs). We will test a survey method for the measurement of mortality above age 50 in LLMICs, the “parental survival history” (PSH). PSH extends the approach used to generate survey data on mortality in younger age groups, by asking respondents to report the vital status of their biological parents, as well as their age (if alive) or age at death and time since death (if deceased). On average, PSH requires < 2 minutes per respondent to be collected. It can thus readily be integrated into the protocols of major survey programs implemented in LLMICs such as the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) or the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). We have 3 specific aims: (1) To examine the possibility of sample selection biases in PSH data, using long-term data from HDSS in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Bangladesh, and Uganda (2) To evaluate reporting errors in PSH data, using PSH data from > 4,000 respondents in Malawi, Bangladesh, and Uganda, (3) to investigate the accuracy and statistical power of mortality estimates based on PSH data using simulations.  
Project leaders: Masquelier Bruno, Helleringer Stéphane (NYU).  
Researchers: Menashe-Oren Ashira, Schlüter Benjamin.  
Collaboration: NYU 

2024 

Rapid mortality mobile phone surveys during COVID-19 (Rammps) 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that “excess mortality,” i.e., how many more deaths there are compared to a recent pre-COVID-19 past, is the most robust measure for understanding the true magnitude of an epidemic and its impact. Estimates of excess mortality are typically derived from civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems, but in low and lower-middle income countries, these are often insufficiently performant to fulfill data needs. Without well-functioning CRVS, population-based mortality estimates are derived from censuses and surveys, using retrospective questions on the survival of relatives or household members. However, following the Covid-19 outbreak, many large survey programs, including the Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, have suspended or postponed fieldwork and empirical data on the mortality impact of Covid-19 are scarce. Therefore, it is imperative to develop methods and tools for measuring excess mortality in LMICs. Rapid Mortality Mobile Phone Surveys (RAMMPS) are a viable approach to safely generating timely (excess) mortality data in settings where suitable alternatives are lacking. Owing to the expansion of mobile phone use, mobile phone surveys have become highly popular in LLMICs but have not yet been used for mortality surveillance. Furthermore, surveys can be conducted without in-person contact with respondents, which makes them particularly suitable for settings affected by epidemics or humanitarian crises where the mobility of interviewers may be restricted. RAMMPS will be conducted in four countries, including Malawi, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and Bangladesh. The study team at UC Louvain will draw on existing survey data to pursue two objectives: (1) using existing survey data to find ways to shorten the standardized data collection instruments for mortality estimation, (2) assessing selection biases in mortality estimates associated with mobile phone ownership. 
Project leaders: Masquelier Bruno, Reniers Georges (PI, LSHTM) 
Researchers: Menashe-Oren Ashira, Kassoum Dianou 
Collaborations: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), John’s Hopkins University (JHU), Instituto Nacional de Saude (INS), Malawi Epidemiology and Interventions Research Unit (MEIRU), Institut Supérieur Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP), New York University – Abu Dhabi (NYU), International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr, b), Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR). 

Family ties and well-being during the pandemic 

The research project focuses on Covid-19 and the ambivalent role of family ties. Household structure and family ties can favor the transmission of the infection, but can also protect their members from adverse health outcomes related to Covid-19. Because of lack of data, studies have been limited to aggregated data at the country level, incurring in the ecological fallacy problem. Using individual data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE Covid-19) and other sources, the project will analyze the role of family ties on older adults' well-being before, during, and after the Covid-19 outbreak. This project has the potential to help policymakers in the implementation of social distancing and prevention policies, in particular for older people and for both men and women belonging to different socioeconomic groups. 
Project leader: Rizzi Ester 
Researcher: Uccheddu Damiano 
Funding: Exceptional Research Projects (PER-FNRS) 

Child migration and parental death in rural and urban Sub-Saharan Africa 

Under the MADIMAH project (Child health, migration, and family composition in Africa and Asia: Comparative analysis), my research aims to study child migration after parental death within sub-Saharan Africa, while accounting for orphans' socioeconomic environment and their household characteristics. This research examines the probabilities of child migration over a gradient of urbanicity in particular, to account for the conditions under which children live, since rural/urban residence can determine child well-being. This research assesses to what extent orphans have higher probabilities of migration in comparison to other children and how this differs by rural/urban sector. 
Project leader: Bocquier Philippe 
Researcher: Menashe-Oren Ashira 
Funding: FNRS 

ELLIS – Monitoring and mitigating environmental health inequalities in Belgium 

The overall objectives of ELLIS are to develop tools to a) monitor the extent of socioeconomic differences in environmental burden of disease; and b) assess the impact of policy measures on environmental health inequalities. To achieve this goal, ELLIS will integrate the three dimensions of environmental health inequalities – i.e., socioeconomic deprivation, environmental exposures, and health outcomes. Pairwise integration of these dimensions gives rise to three concepts – i.e., health inequalities, environmental inequalities, and environmental health. Each of these concepts has been well described in national and international literature; however, the integration of all three, leading to environmental health inequalities, has so far received little attention. To increase flexibility and sustainability, the integration of these dimensions will take place at the level of the statistical sector (i.e., the smallest administrative subdivision of Belgium). In addition to monitoring the situation, ELLIS will allow simulating the potential impact of alternative policy scenarios on the extent of and inequalities in environmental burden of disease. Stakeholders will be proactively involved in order to identify the most appropriate scenarios and to facilitate knowledge transfer. 
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Masquelier Bruno, Devleesschauwer Brecht (Sciensano), Bouland Catherine (ULB), Faest Christel (UHasselt).  
Researchers: Otavova Martina, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Collaborations: Sciensano, ULB, UHasselt 

ASSESS: Improving death statistics to better monitor health trends in the Dakar region 

The Senegalese population has an average life expectancy of 65 years, one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Senegal is also undergoing a health transition that is changing the hierarchy of diseases. A high mortality rate dominated by infectious diseases (diarrhea, malaria, etc.) is giving way to a low mortality rate, where deaths are mainly due to chronic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, etc.). However, due to disparities in access to healthcare, equipment, and sanitation, profound inequalities in terms of death rates remain between rural and urban areas, as well as within cities. The Dakar metropolitan area, which is home to 50% of the urban population, is facing rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, and health risk factors are very unevenly distributed spatially. This project aims to introduce a number of innovations into Dakar's civil registry to make it a real tool for health planning. The aim is to test methods of collecting data on causes of death in civil registry offices, to conduct a systematic analysis of mortality in the Dakar metropolitan area, and to document inequalities in mortality using spatial analyses, taking into account the high mobility of populations.  
Project leader: Bruno Masquelier 
Collaborations: National Agency for Statistics and Demography, Department of Geography (SGOG) at the University of Namur, Bacteriology-Virology Laboratory, Malaria Unit at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar 

Fertility transition halts in sub-Saharan Africa 

Over the past 20 years, fertility transition halts have been observed in several sub-Saharan African countries. The number of children per woman has fallen relatively steadily, before stagnating at relatively high levels (around 4 children per woman). While declines have resumed in some countries, stagnation seems to be continuing in others. This stagnation runs counter to traditional theories of demographic transition. They also have a potentially significant impact on Africa's population growth, as well as on the distribution of the population between and within countries. In this project, we use survey and census data to identify countries and regions that are experiencing or have experienced fertility stagnation. These data, and fieldwork in several African countries, are also used to understand the demographic and socioeconomic factors behind these transitions (slowing down of contraception, changing union practices, etc.). 
Project leader: Schoumaker Bruno 
Researcher: Sánchez-Páez David Antonio 
Funding: FNRS 

2023 

Solar water heating users in California 

Working correctly, solar water heating systems for homes require much less fossil fuel than conventionally powered counterparts. In some countries these systems have been popular for decades. But even in places environmentally well-suited, they are not necessarily widely used. This is the case in California, where solar water heating is rare despite favorable weather, a decade-long incentive program, and an embrace of rooftop photovoltaics. The availability of low-priced natural gas in the state has been the general explanation for this absence. As California, along with other governments, assertively targets the decarbonization of energy systems, the reasons for pursuing solar water heating have changed. But research on the experiences and perspectives of California households who use solar water heating is almost entirely missing. This research presents a reflection on what the Californian research team learned by talking to California households who use solar water heating systems, and relates these findings to policies and strategies for achieving low-carbon futures. 
Project leader: Bartiaux Françoise 
Collaborations: Lutzenhiser Loren (Portland State University, USA), Moezzi Mithra (QQForward, USA), Hansen Arve (University of Oslo) 

Globmig: New approaches to understanding and modeling global migration trends 

The recent refugee crisis placed migration policy at the forefront of the global policy debate. World economy trends suggest that there may be further episodes of large-scale migration in the future. GLOBMIG is a 48-month interdisciplinary project that aims to develop stronger conceptual tools to better understand and model global migration patterns. It has assembled a team of economists, demographers, lawyers, and computer scientists around three objectives: (i) to gain understanding of the long-run root drivers of international migration and of their complex interactions with the socio-demographic, climatic, institutional and economic environments, (ii) to produce integrated projections of migration, population, and global inequality, and (iii) to use the knowledge base to assess the effectiveness and policy coherence of the legal framework. Despite considerable improvements in recent literature, little is known about the root drivers of long-term trends in the size and structure of migration, about the interplay between internal and international migration, or about the effects of policy reforms on migration flows and their coherence with other policies. GLOBMIG aims to shed light on these issues. It goes beyond the state of the art in combining traditional and innovative sources of data (e.g., big data on cell-phone owners' mobility, worldwide opinion surveys on migration intentions, geo-referenced data on population changes, comparative data on immigration laws and policies), and in developing new methodologies for processing and analyzing them (e.g., data mining, machine learning, migration accounting models). The project is divided into two phases and six work packages. In the first “designing phase” of the project, general modeling tools will be developed, the inventory and assessment of migration laws and policies will be produced, and exploratory analyses of innovative data sources will be conducted. In the second “operational phase” (24 months), we will produce specific knowledge on the links between international migration, internal migration, migration policies, demo-economic changes, climatic factors, and conflicts. 
Project leaders: Bocquier Philippe, Carlier Jean-Yves (EDEM, UCLouvain), Docquier Frédéric (IRES, UCLouvain), Saroléa Sylvie (EDEM, UCLouvain), Schaus Pierre (ICTM, UCLouvain), Nijssen Siegfried (ICTM, UCLouvain) 
Researchers: menashe-Oren Ashira, Aoga John, Bae Juhee, Cunca Erick, Gatta Francesco, Veljanoska Stefanija 
Funding: Concerted Research Action (ARC) 

Familyties: family ties, internal migration, and immobility 

The aim of the project is to identify the role of family ties in internal migration, immobility, and the labor market. The objectives are as follows: a) to identify the role of family ties as a deterrent to migration and a key determinant of immobility; b) to explain migration to non-resident family members; c) to determine to what extent and for whom family reasons lead to migration; d) to determine whether (im)mobility linked to family ties has other consequences for professional careers than (im)mobility linked to other factors. Since September 2018, UCLouvain has been the second beneficiary of this ERC-Advanced-Grant project (2017-2022; the principal investigator is mobility linked to other factors. Since September 2018, UCLouvain has been the second beneficiary of this ERC Advanced Grant project (2017-2022; the principal investigator is Clara H. Mulder, University of Groningen, Netherlands). 
Project leaders: Schnor Christine, Mulder Clara H. (University of Groningen) 
Researchers: Schnor Christine, Zuzana Zilicikova 
Collaborations: University of Groningen, Netherlands 
Funding: ERC 
Dates: 09/2018-08/2023 

Analysis of the role of residential migration on socio-spatial segregation in the Belgian part of the Eurometropolis 

The main objectives of the research are to examine the following questions: Is the Eurometropolis one of the most segregated areas in France, like the European Metropolis of Lille? Do Franco-Belgian migrations play a role in reinforcing this segregation, and if so, how? What is the profile of migrant households? What proposals can be submitted to the Eurometropolis to curb this phenomenon? 
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry 
Researcher: Sanderson Jean-Paul 
Collaboration: Lille-Métropole Development and Urban Planning Agency 
Funding: Lille-Métropole Development and Urban Planning Agency 

2022 

The impact of migration on under-5 child health in Africa 

The lives of a high proportion of children under 5 in Africa are affected by the rise in internal and international migration. Empirical studies show that changes in family structure, household wealth, and place of residence impact healthcare, access to health services, health status, and the survival of both the children who migrate and those who are left behind. Most past research has focused on health at destination and has not taken account of the variation in wealth and living arrangements before and after relatives' migration or death, and has not controlled for independent migration of children and other family members. The consequences of death or migration-related fostering on child health are of particular importance in Africa given the AIDS epidemic, armed conflicts, and poverty. Our objective is to evaluate the nature and extent of the impacts of migration and household living arrangements on under-5 child’s health risks. We will analyze the extensive data gathered by the INDEPTH Network, a major information resource on these issues that has yet to be exploited. This will be used to reconstruct family relationships using multi-year longitudinal data covering more than 18,000 child deaths among 1 million children under 5 in at least 25 Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSS) in 10 or more African countries. To better understand child health outcomes, we will control for the first time in longitudinal analyses for the impacts of children's migration, parents' and siblings' migration, parents' and siblings' death, household composition, and socio-economic environment. We will then use the findings to test key hypotheses regarding the extent of the differential impact of migration and household shocks on child health. The new insights gained will contribute to the SDGs regarding child health support in highly mobile and vulnerable sub-Saharan African populations and thus to the design of more effective interventions. 
Project leaders: Ginsburg Carren (University of the Witwatersrand), Bocquier Philippe 
International collaboration: University of the Witwatersrand 
Funding: FNRS, NRF 

SODA: Social sciences and humanities data archive 

The aim of this project is to create a “Belgian archive” of surveys and data collected in the humanities. In practical terms, this involves building a tool for storing data from surveys conducted in the humanities at various Belgian universities so that they can be reused for other projects. 
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Schoumaker Bruno 
Researchers: Sanderson Jean-Paul 
Collaborations: VUB, General Archives of the Kingdom (AGR) 
Funding: BELSPO 

Measuring invisibility Brussel (Measinb) 

The aim of the research is to map the socio-spatial trajectories that lead to socio-economic disengagement, which results in exclusion from administrative registers. The MEANSIB research project seeks to gain a better understanding of both the phenomenon of sherwoodization, i.e., the voluntary exclusion of a section of the population, and the consequences of the forced disappearance of NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) from the radar screens of administrative databases. It will implement innovative quantitative and qualitative methods to discern the socio-spatial contexts of the disappearance of individuals from these databases. It also aims to determine an ethical and epistemological framework for the use of data mobilized to understand the phenomena of disappearance from computer files. 
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry 
Researcher: Sanderson Jean-Paul 
Collaborations: Centre for Research and Studies for Territorial Action (CREAT, UCLouvain), METICES Center (ULB) 
Funding: Brussels-Capital Region (Innoviris call) 

IPV-PRO&POL, Intimate partner violence: Impact, processes, evolution, and related public policies in Belgium 

The aim of the project is to analyze the evolution of domestic violence in Belgium and to evaluate public policies in this area. DEMO's tasks are, first, to draw up a status report based on available statistical data and, second, to analyze the sociodemographic profiles and life trajectories of the populations concerned. 
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Rousseaux Xavier (INCAL, UCLouvain) 
Researchers: Audrey Plavsic, Jean-Paul Sanderson 
Collaborations: National Institute for Criminalists and Criminology, RHEA (VUB), CHDJ (UCLouvain), Department of Psychology (ULg) 
Funding: BELSPO 

Causality in econometric modeling 

This research examines different approaches for assessing causality as typically followed in econometrics and proposes a constructive perspective for improving statistical models elaborated in view of causal analysis. Without attempting to be exhaustive, this research examines some of these approaches. Traditional structural modeling is first discussed. A distinction is then drawn between model-based and design-based approaches. Some more recent developments are examined next, namely history-friendly simulation and information-theory based approaches. Finally, structural causal modeling (SCM) is presented, based on the concepts of mechanism and sub-mechanisms, and of recursive decomposition of the joint distribution of variables. This modeling strategy endeavors to represent the structure of the underlying data generating process. It operationalizes the concept of causation through the ordering and role-function of the variables in each of the intelligible sub-mechanisms. 
Project leaders: Mouchart Michel (ISBA, UCLouvain), Orsi Renzo (Economics, Bologna), Wunsch Guillaume 
Collaborations: Department of Economics (UCLouvain), University of Bologna (Italy) 

2021 

LIMA: Personal aspirations and processes of adaptation: How does the legal framework impact migrants' agency? 

The LIMA project is a multidisciplinary project (law, sociology, demography) funded under the Concerted Research Actions (2015-2020). The objective of this project is to examine how the Belgian and European legal framework – influences the migratory, family, and professional trajectories of migrants from third countries, and to what extent this framework is compatible with the realization of migrants' aspirations. It also involves an analysis of the European and Belgian legal framework in terms of family reunification, access to the labor market, and mobility, as well as an analysis of the administrative, professional, and family trajectories of migrants in Belgium. It is based on the use of data from the National Register and the Crossroads Bank for Social Security and will also involve conducting quantitative and qualitative surveys of migrants of Indian, Congolese, and American origin. 
Project leaders: Sarolea Sylvie (EDEM, UCLouvain), Schoumaker Bruno, Merla Laura (CIRFASE, UCLouvain), Marquet Jacques (CIRFASE, UCLouvain) 
Researchers: Vause Sophie, Carpentier Sarah 
Collaborations: EDEM (UCLouvain), CIRFASE (UCLouvain) 
Funding: Concerted Research Actions (ARC) 
Website: www.limauclouvain.eu 

Family transformations – Incentives and norms 

Over the last century, marriage and the family have undergone dramatic transformations, both in industrialized and less developed countries. Within a few decades, new patterns such as blended families or same-sex couples have emerged, divorce rates have increased, and fertility has gone down. This is also the cause and the outcome of value changes. This joint project aims at leading to new insights onto the mechanisms that drive family transformations as well as to a better understanding of their consequences. Family changes are accompanied by profound modifications of women’s social status and roles in society. However, some authors argue that the gender revolution is “incomplete” or “stalled” because gender equality is especially lagging inside the family, in contrast to what happens in education and the labor market. Gender will thus be at the heart of this project too, both at the explanatory and at the normative level. 
Project leaders: Rizzi Ester, Baudin Thomas, de la Croix David, Gosseries Axel, Mariani Fabio, Pienseroso Luca 
Researchers: Brée Sandra, Chabé-Ferret Bastien, Dantis Charalampos, Frigo Annalisa, Gobbi Paula, Kondi Keiti, Ma Li, Mikucka Malgorzata, Mercier Marion, Munno Cristina, Oikonomo Rigas, Rizzo Elisa, Stelter Robert, Roca Fernandez Èric, Salomone Sara, Sarkar Koyel, Truffa Francesca 
Collaborations: INED, MPIDR, Università Bocconi Milano, Universiteit Antwerpen 
Funding: Concerted Research Actions (ARC) 

A sociological approach to attitudes on climate change and on energy policies in two European countries 

Public engagement has been considered key to sustainable energy transitions and action to tackle climate change, as effective policy strategies require public support and acceptance. However, public perspectives on the challenges of climate change and energy transition still need to be better explored, and effective public engagement should not be taken for granted. Specific socio-political contexts, infrastructures, and practices, among other factors, may condition the acceptance and adoption of changes. In this research, we highlight climate justice and energy justice as well as gender differences as relevant frameworks to understand issues that may arise as forms of resistance to energy transitions and climate policies, as well as to point out that such changes may aggravate forms of inequity, and lack of trust if social costs are not met. We do this by analyzing data from the European Social Survey 2018) . We focus on two countries: Belgium and Portugal, to investigate how levels of concern about climate change and support for renewable energy relate to gender and to the divide between people with low income, and the more educated and well off. We also discuss the relevance of notions such as “concern” and “worries” used in the European Social Survey, which are inspired by psychological models, in particular the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) model (Stern, 2000). ​ 
Project leader: Bartiaux Françoise 
Collaborations: Schmidt Luísa, Horta Ana (University of Lisbon) 
Researcher: Line Vanparys 

Care, retirement, and wellbeing of older people across different welfare regimes 

As societies age, the well-being of the elderly increasingly becomes a priority and challenge. CREW is an interdisciplinary team from six institutions in five countries poised to examine the interrelationships between social participation (in the forms of paid work and caregiving) and health and wellbeing. Our proposed research covers four broad topics. First, we investigate the determinants of health and wellbeing in older age and critically examine new and old measures. Second, we describe patterns of caregiving and the impact of providing care on the wellbeing of caregivers. Third, we analyze the challenges faced by pension systems as a consequence of changes in family dynamics and work patterns. Finally, we examine the population of older adults without close kin, analyze its characteristics, and how the welfare state shapes their well-being. Gender and welfare policies are transversal themes of each topic, as they shape all of the dynamics analyzed. CREW fills key policy-relevant gaps in existing research, ultimately contributing to knowledge which informs policies to guarantee high quality of aging and equal opportunities for successful aging for both men and women and for people of different socioeconomic groups. 
Project leader: Rizzi Ester 
Researchers: Mikucka Malgorzata, Kim Younga 
Collaborations: Universitat Pompeu Fabra (coordinator), Nederlands Interdisciplinair Demografisch Instituut, Università degli studi di Firenze, Università degli Studi di Padova, University of Western Ontario 
Funding: BELSPO 

2020 

Inclusion and socio-spatial segregation: the Transition Towns Movement in Wallonia 

The magnitude of socio-environmental concerns makes the need to inquire into the social responses induced and their impacts from a scientific point of view more and more relevant every day. This is what this project seeks to contribute to. To that end, the project investigated the inclusive dimension claimed by the Transition Towns Movement through its review in Wallonia. Since its foundation in the early 2000s, this social movement has raised the development of local and convivial communities as a key adaptation measure for climate change and natural resource scarcity. Distrustful of the political capacity to act in time and of the individual capacity to do enough, the movement favors the community scale to get everyone on board the Ecological Transition boat. However, despite an interesting diversity of environmental practices, scientific literature highlights sociological homogeneity trends within the movement and a predisposition to grow in (neo) “rural” areas. The project aimed to assess the relationships between socio-spatial segregation tendencies in Wallonia, the diffusion of the movement, and its understanding of inclusiveness through an unprecedented socio-demographic analysis.  
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Verhaegen Étienne (DVLP, UCLouvain).  
Researcher: Fontaine Scott.  
Funding: FSR 
 

Development of tools and procedures for asynchronous, paperless formative and summative assessments 

This educational project has led to the development of question banks and procedures for the implementation of asynchronous, paperless exams on Moodle in statistics and social science formalization courses. 
Project leaders: Kestemont Marie-Paule (LSM, UCLouvain), Schoumaker Bruno, Masquelier Bruno, Lefèvre Nathalie (SMCS, UCLouvain).  
Researchers: Aussems Émilie (ISPOLE, UCLouvain), Van Cleemput Océane.  
Collaboration: SMCS (UCLouvain).  
Funding: UCLouvain Educational Development Fund 

An Accountability model to evaluate the social correlates of energy transitions 

The influences of energy transitions on social inequity are multidimensional in their attributes and connections. For adequate accountability of their social correlates, policies aiming to implement a transition towards sustainable energy supply and demand must also be evaluated in terms of social inequalities, namely in terms of energy access and consumption. A capability-based and relational approach is used to monitor the social correlates of the governance of energy transitions, following the work presented in Bartiaux et al. (2018). This accountability model will be applied to different European countries that have different patterns of energy transitions. The proposition here is that the capability approach could be usefully adopted to evaluate future implementation of energy transitions and to assess how they could influence inequalities in various aspects of citizens' daily lives. A first methodological step is the evaluation of different databases to quantify inequalities regarding various capabilities. A second step is the choice of European countries that have different characteristics in terms of levels and inequalities regarding material deprivation and energy access, as well as patterns of energy transitions. 
Project leader: Bartiaux Françoise.  
Collaborations: Maretti Mara, Cartone Alfredo (University G. D’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara), Biermann Philipp (Otto-von-Guericke University), Krasteva Veneta (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), Dubois Ute (ISG International Business School) 

2GENDERS (Generation and Gender ENergy DEprivation: Realities and Social policies) 

The 2GENDERS (Generation and Gender Energy Deprivation: Realities and Social policies) research project focuses on energy poverty in Belgium, which can be understood as the difficulty of accessing basic energy resources for a household. What are the characteristics of the populations concerned? Are they also vulnerable in other areas, such as social relations, mobility, and health? Are gender and generational dimensions relevant? To answer these questions, statistical analyses are carried out on existing databases (GGP and SILC) and in-depth interviews are conducted with people living in energy poverty in the Brussels Region (for UCLouvain). The project is multidisciplinary and international. 
Project leader: Françoise Bartiaux. 
Researchers: Christophe Vandeschrick, Anne Baudaux (LAAP, UCLouvain).  
Collaborations: Nathalie Frogneux (ISP, UCLouvain), Stijn Oosterlynck (University of Antwerp), Willy Lahaye (University of Mons), Rosie Day (University of Birmingham).  
Funding: BELSPO, FRS-FNRS 

From 2003 to 2018 

2018 

Low morbidity and mortality. Implications for data collection 

The objective of this project is to examine existing data sources on mortality, morbidity, and health in Europe to explore their potential for monitoring trends in situations where mortality is declining but the prevalence of physical and mental dependency is increasing. Data sources for assessing healthcare performance and costs are outside the scope of this project. 
Project leaders: Guillaume Wunsch, Catherine Gourbin 

European Partnership for Humanitarian Action 

The project aims to promote the exchange of good practices and innovations and to improve the quality and effectiveness of training in the field of humanitarian action in order to increase professionalization. 
Project leader: Catherine Gourbin 
Collaborations: NOHA, RedR UK, Aktion Deutschland Hilft, Bioforce, Accion contra el Hambre, Oxford Brooks University, Norges-Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet 
Funding: Erasmus+, European Union 

Causality in block recursive systems 

The project examines different types of conjunctive variables and their impact on causal attributions.  
Project leader: Guillaume Wunsch 
Collaborations: Michel Mouchart (CORE and ISBA, UCLouvain), Federica Russo (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands). 

“Mobile targets”: Identifying health risks among mobile populations through longitudinal monitoring of formal and informal neighborhoods in Ouagadougou 

Migration can both improve and worsen the lives of migrants and their families. The relationship between migration and health is complex and changing in the context of urbanization in Africa. Do urban health indicators accurately reflect health risks and access to services in urban areas? To what extent do these indicators fail to reflect exposure to other environments and health systems? The “Moving Targets” project aims to examine the relationship between mobility and health using longitudinal data from the population observatory in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. A new tool for tracking migrants via mobile phone and statistical modeling tools will be tested to monitor the effect of migration on health. The main results of the project will be health indicators by migration status, before and after migration, and by level of migration intensity.  
Project leaders: Philippe Bocquier, Abdramane Soura (ISSP, University of Ouagadougou). 
Collaborations: Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (Abdramane Soura, ISSP – University of Ouagadougou); Institut d’Études Démographiques et du Parcours de Vie (Clémentine Rossier, University of Geneva). 
Funding: ARES-CDD 

Ecolo-Groen, foreign-born populations in Belgium and the 2018-2019 elections 

The aim of the research is to gain a better understanding, by municipality, of the composition and sociodemographic profile of the foreign-born population eligible to vote in Belgium.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researcher: Dal Luc, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Funding: Groen-Écolo 

Louvain4 ageing: survey of people aged 55 and over in Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve 

This survey, conducted among 750 people, aims to analyze the socio-demographic situation of elderly people in Louvain-la-Neuve, their lifestyle, intergenerational relationships (within their families and neighborhoods), and to address issues related to their health, their activities, and their expectations of the municipality. This survey will also analyze the profiles of newcomers in relation to first-time residents in order to determine whether there is increased selection of people entering the municipality, particularly due to rising real estate prices. This survey will serve as the basis for the establishment of a living lab in Louvain-la-Neuve.  
Responsible: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researcher: Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Funding: Fondation Louvain (UCLouvain) and Municipality of Ottignies-LLN 

Track-changes: Monitoring health changes in urban Africa using cause-specific mortality data  

Counting deaths and identifying their causes should be a prerequisite for any health program aimed at reducing premature mortality. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, most people die without their deaths being recorded in any official statistics. Few deaths have a cause certified by a doctor, and there is therefore little information on the main causes of death. This project aims to improve the collection and interpretation of data on causes of death in several African cities in order to better understand recent changes in disease patterns. Its methodological component includes (1) the collection and interpretation of cause-specific mortality data in three capital cities (Antananarivo, Dakar, and Bamako), (2) an assessment of demographic methods for evaluating the completeness of death registration, and (3) the development of a statistical model to extract maximum information from death records kept in hospitals. Its theoretical component focuses on the " double burden of disease" typical of urban Africa, where the growing burden of chronic diseases (such as diabetes, stroke, and cancer) is associated with the persistence of potentially fatal infections.  
Project leader: Masquelier Bruno.  
Collaboration: Senegal: National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), Madagascar: National Institute of Public and Community Health (INSPC), National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), Pasteur Institute.  
Funding: National Fund for Scientific Research (Research Grant 2016-2018) 

2017 

Analysis of demographic dynamics and population and household projections for municipalities in Walloon Brabant  

The objectives are to analyze recent demographic trends, develop demographic projections for the population and households, and identify their consequences for land use planning in the municipalities of Walloon Brabant and certain neighboring municipalities.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Dal Luc, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Funding: Province of Walloon Brabant. 

Virtual Belgium in Health: a virtual population platform as a decision-making tool for forecasting and planning healthcare needs for the elderly  

Against a backdrop of an aging population and an increase in the number of elderly people living alone, one of the challenges facing Wallonia is to ensure a correlation between the overall increase in longevity and the increase in healthy longevity and decent living conditions. To achieve this, it is particularly important to plan healthcare provision as effectively as possible. The purpose of the “Virtual Belgium” tool is to estimate parameters that are useful for planning healthcare and services at a detailed level, taking into account various criteria such as needs and social inequalities in health.  
Leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Cornelis Éric (UNamur).  
Researchers: Bourguignon Mélanie, Dal Luc, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
National and international collaborations: Namur Center for Complex Systems, University of Namur.  
Funding: DG06-Walloon Region. 

Fertility, gender identity, and sick children  

Some authors suggest that prioritizing children could become the new cultural framework in developed countries, replacing those linked to the ideology of breadwinners and feminist ideology. In this study, we explore the relationship between reproductive choices and gender attitudes among dual-income couples, focusing on attitudes that pit children against women's fulfillment. We adopt a mixed approach (qualitative + quantitative) and consider several developed countries. The project is innovative in its methods and content, thanks to the combination of two approaches and a life course perspective that includes the prenatal and postnatal periods.  
Principal investigator: Rizzi Ester.  
Researcher: Dantis Charalampos.  
National and international collaborations: Institut National d'Études Démographiques, France; Università degli Studi di Messina, Italy.  
Funding: F.R.S.-FNRS. 

POMBE (Postcolonial Migrants in Belgium). Study on communities of Congolese, Rwandan, and Burundian origin in Belgium  

The aim of this project is to paint a portrait of Congolese, Rwandan, and Burundian people in Belgium around the following main themes: (1) citizenship, (2) socio-professional integration, (3) participation in political life, and (4) transnational practices. It is based on the production of quantitative and qualitative data on a population that is often invisible in the field of public action and in the scientific field, despite its historical presence in Belgium.  
Leaders: Schoumaker Bruno, Demart Sarah (CEDEM, ULg), Godin Marie (GERME, ULB), Adam Ilke (IES, VUB).  
National and international collaborations: Demart Sarah (CEDEM, ULg), Godin Marie (GERME, ULB), Adam Ilke (IES, VUB).  
Funding: King Baudouin Foundation. 

2016 

The question of control in complex systems. A contribution from structural modeling 

Building on Judea Pearl's directed acyclic graph approach to causality and the tradition of structural modeling in econometrics and social sciences, this project examines the question of control in complex systems with multiple causes and outcomes. It first deals with saturated and unsaturated three-variable models, then focuses on more complex systems, including models with collision or latent confounding factors as discussed by Pearl. The aim of this project is to develop simple rules for selecting the variables to be controlled when studying the direct effect of a cause on an outcome or the total effect when there are multiple causal paths. 
Project leader: Guillaume Wunsch 
National and international collaborations: Michel Moucart (CORE and ISBA, UCLouvain), Federica Russo (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands) 

Analysis of interactions between cause-specific mortality and migration in rural South Africa  

This study examines the relationship between migration and mortality in the Agincourt Population and Health Observatory (South Africa) during a period of increased AIDS-related mortality. The objective is to conduct an in-depth analysis of migration and compare its role for various major causes of mortality: HIV/TB, circulatory system disease, respiratory system disease, cancer, violence and injuries, and other causes. 
Leaders: Bocquier Philippe, Collinson Mark (University of the Witwatersrand). 
Researchers: Steve Tollman, Samuel Clark, Kathy Kahn, Michael White. National and international collaborations: Mark Collinson, University of the Witwatersrand, Agincourt, Health and Socio-demographic Surveillance Site, Johannesburg, South Africa; Michael White, Brown University, Providence, United States; Samuel Clark, University of Washington, Seattle, United States; Kahn Kathy, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Tollman Steve, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. 

How will we age? Challenges of managing aging at home in Wallonia between 2025 and 2045  

Drawing on a range of disciplines (demography, sociology, political science, economics), this research addresses the issue of demographic aging and, more specifically, the care of the elderly in the Walloon Region. This research is structured around three interdependent components. The first, carried out within DEMO, aims to develop a typology of Walloon municipalities that takes into account both local supply and demand for assistance and services for the elderly population.  
Project leaders: Marquet Jacques (CIRFASE-UCLouvain), Degavre Florence (CIRTES-UCLouvain), Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Bourguignon Mélanie, Sanderson Jean-Paul, Leider Blanche (CIRFASE-UCLouvain), Merla Laura (CIRFASE-UCLouvain), Lits Grégoire (CIRFASE-UCLouvain), Ghislain Myriam (CIRFASE-UCLouvain).  
Funding: IWEPS. 

Elderly dependency. Comparative analysis of care provision in the Czech Republic, Poland, the Russian Federation, and Belgium  

The aim of this research is to compare the policy responses to the specific needs of dependent older people in the four countries. More specifically, it consists of a comparative analysis of how dependency is taken into account in social protection systems, including an examination of existing legislative measures in this area, both for dependent older people and for informal caregivers.  
Leaders: Catherine Gourbin, Guillaume Wunsch.  
International collaborations: Warsaw School of Economics, Institute of Statistics and Demography; Charles University in Prague, Department of Demography and Geodemography; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Economics. 

FNRS-NRF (Belgium-South Africa) for funding missions within the framework of the MADIMAH project (migration and health)  

The INDEPTH network, which represents data from more than 40 HDSS centers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, founded a working group on migration, urbanization, and health about ten years ago, led by Mark Collinson of the MRC/Wits Agincourt unit in South Africa, with the support of Philippe BOCQUIER, UCLouvain. This collaboration has helped to strengthen the capacity of INDEPTH centers to conduct research on migration, urbanization, and health. In 2015, an analytical workshop enabled a multicenter analysis on migration and mortality to be conducted and a technical guide for the INDEPTH network to be drafted. The project aims to produce two levels of publication: a multicenter publication that includes the results of all participating centers, and a series of single-center articles that will be written by scientists from the centers. The databases produced by the participants will be part of the INDEPTH data archives and will allow researchers to repeat or further analyze the data. In addition to contributing to workshops and publications, the NRF-FNRS grant funds travel between the two universities to train young scientists, conduct analyses, write up findings, and archive data.  
Principal investigators: Collinson Mark (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Bocquier Philippe.  
Researchers: Ginsburg Carren (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Schoumaker Bruno.  
National and international collaborations: INDEPTH Network.  
Funding: FNRS-NRF. 

Male fertility in sub-Saharan Africa  

This research has two main objectives. The first, methodological, is to develop and validate indirect methods for measuring levels, trends, and differentials in male fertility, using existing data sources in sub-Saharan Africa (surveys and censuses). The second objective is to document and better understand male fertility transitions in sub-Saharan Africa. Three specific questions are targeted: (1) Did the fertility transition among men begin at the same time and occur at the same rate as the fertility transition among women? (2) At what rate and at what point do male and female fertility levels converge? (3) Are the socioeconomic determinants of male fertility different from those of female fertility, and do they change during the transition?  
Principal investigator: Schoumaker Bruno.  
Funding: F.R.S.-FNRS. 

Population and household projections for Belgian municipalities, update  

The objective is to produce population and household projections for 2035 at the municipal level in Belgium. These are multi-state projections based on a specific methodology that takes into account the statistical problem of small numbers.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Dal Luc, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Funding: IWEPS-Walloon Region. 

Enhancing Belgian demographic data  

The objectives of this project are: (1) To develop the potential of large existing databases in Belgium by linking, updating, and harmonizing the available information; (2) To assist in the preparation and optimization of databases for researchers involved in research projects, doctoral students, and master's students in demography and social sciences; (3) To develop and enhance the scientific skills and knowledge accumulated in various research projects.  
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Schoumaker Bruno.  
Researcher: Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
Funding: F.R.S.-FNRS. 

2015 

Study of migration phenomena in Belgium based on a large number of existing data sources  

Under an agreement with the Federal Migration Center, the aim is to help inform political authorities and civil society about the nature and scale of migration flows. To fulfill this mission, several annual reports and ad hoc thematic studies are produced based on a large amount of migration data.  
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Vause Sophie.  
Researchers: Bourguignon Mélanie, Vause Sophie.  
National collaborations: Federal Migration Center, Brussels, Belgium.  
Funding: Federal Migration Center. 

Identifying and understanding newly arrived populations  

The objectives of this project are to identify the number of new arrivals in Belgium between 1993 and 2013, at the national level and in the 262 municipalities of Wallonia and the 19 municipalities of Brussels, and to specify certain characteristics, such as gender, age, nationality, and household situation.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Martin Élisabeth, Schoonvaere Quentin.  
National and international collaborations: Brussels Center for Intercultural Action (CBAI).  
Funding: Brussels Center for Intercultural Action. 

Health, kinship networks, and living arrangements of older adults in least developed countries  

Focusing on the aging population in least developed countries (LDCs), the project has three objectives: (1) to conduct a comparative analysis of the living arrangements of people aged 50 and over in LDCs, (2) to quantitatively assess the size and composition of their kinship networks, and (3) to estimate their mortality by age.  
Project leader: Bruno Masquelier.  
Funding: FNRS. 

Future parents. Can women count on men's help?  

This research project focuses on dual-income couples and aims to explore the causes of men's low or non-existent involvement in family tasks. Gender attitudes and beliefs are of great importance for any improvement in the distribution of household tasks. Therefore, particular attention will be paid to men's egalitarian attitudes towards gender and how these attitudes evolve over the course of their lives. In particular, the birth of a child is considered a difficult event that can transform men's egalitarian attitudes into traditional ones. Quantitative statistical analysis will be combined with a qualitative approach in order to confirm and improve the results.  
Principal investigator: Rizzi Ester.  
Researchers: Demlenne Caroline, Mikucka Malgorzata.  
National and international collaborations: Institut National d'Études Démographiques, France; Università degli Studi di Messina, Italy.  
Funding: Special Research Fund (FSR), Catholic University of Louvain, 2013-2015. 

2014 

European universities and the professionalization of humanitarian action  

The objectives of the project were as follows: 1. To examine humanitarian personnel in order to understand the skills required by increasingly complex crises, with a view to developing a qualifications framework that could help the sector to translate and classify qualification levels. 2. To understand humanitarian activity in Europe, identifying the main actors, education and training providers, and analyzing the evolution of humanitarian action, its strengths, and its potential in 30 European countries. 3. Finally, understand the humanitarian sector, the global humanitarian system, and current and emerging trends influencing the sector, attempting to predict the impact these trends could have on defining the skills future humanitarian workers may need.  
Project leader: Catherine Gourbin.  
National and international collaborations: NOHA, SPHERE project, ICVA, and 20 universities in the European Union.  
Funding: Lifelong Learning Program, European Union. 

Improving the energy efficiency of private housing  

The European EPBD directive requires that an energy certificate be issued for every sale, rental, or renovation of a home. The IDEAL EPBD research project analyzes consumer behavior, barriers, and policy instruments aimed at improving the implementation of this directive in 10 countries. This implementation was monitored using empirical data from in-depth interviews and electronic questionnaires. An action plan has been developed in each participating country to change consumer behavior related to energy labels. The latest publication appeared in 2014.  
Project leader: Françoise Bartiaux.  
National and international collaborations: Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, Netherlands; Danish Building Institute, Denmark; Building Research Establishment Ltd, United Kingdom; Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland; Oeko-Institute, Institute for Applied Ecology, Germany; Black Sea Regional Energy Centre, Bulgaria; ISR-University of Coimbra, Portugal; Ekodoma, Latvia, ENVIROS, Czech Republic. 

Demographic and urban transitions  

The aim of this project was to test a spatial theory of demographic transition using data from several countries that are emblematic of different trajectories of demographic and urban transitions (Belgium, France, Japan, Quebec, Sri Lanka, Sweden). The results show that in the 19th and 20th centuries, migration contributed twice as much to urban growth as population growth. Analyses are continuing at the regional level in France (departments) and Belgium (9 provinces) in the 19th century. However, data could not be collected for Japan and Quebec. This research has made it possible to prepare a project in which demographic and urban transitions will be analyzed across a larger number of countries but over a shorter period (1950-2010) and will be integrated into a demo-economic projection model.  
Project leader: Bocquier Philippe.  
Researchers: Eggerickx Thierry, Costa Rafael, Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
National and international collaborations: ST-HILAIRE Marc, Laval University, Quebec; Meslé France, INED, Paris; Hamano Kiyoshi, Kansai University, Osaka  
Funding: FNRS Research Grant. 

2013 

Sociodemographic analysis of new arrivals in the Brussels-Capital Region  

Against a backdrop of increasing international immigration and diversification of migration patterns, the aim of this study is to analyze the sociodemographic profiles of new arrivals and their spatial distribution in the Brussels-Capital Region. The aim is to provide public authorities with information to guide the reception and integration of these new arrivals.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Martin Elisabeth, Schoonvaere Quentin. 

Dependency of elderly people with dementia: comparative analysis of care in Europe  

The aim of the study is to compare the tools used in European Union countries to assess the informal care provided by the families and friends of elderly people with dementia and the measures envisaged by social protection systems to take into account the specific needs of these elderly people and their informal carers. Three areas of research are being considered: (1) analysis of existing surveys; (2) comparison of the tools used to determine dependency and the measures put in place for the care of elderly people with dementia; (3) qualitative survey using semi-structured interviews with a sample of people with dementia and their families living in the French Community of Belgium. 
Project leader: Catherine Gourbin. 
National and international collaborations: Ligue Nationale Alzheimer Liga, Brussels, Belgium; Alzheimer Europe, Luxembourg, Gand Duché du Luxembourg. 

Gender equality and fertility choices in developed countries  

The research project is based on the observation that women have entered the labor market en masse in recent decades and, as a result, are juggling professional and family responsibilities. This calls for societal adjustments: firstly, family policies that facilitate the reconciliation of family and paid work must be introduced and strengthened; secondly, the sharing of domestic tasks between partners must become more equitable. The research focuses on this latter aspect. Our hypothesis is that when women continue to bear almost exclusive responsibility for domestic tasks while working, their intentions to have children are delayed or even changed.  
Project leader: Rizzi Ester.  
National and international collaborators: Campolo Maria-Gabriella (Universitá degli studi di Messina), Di Pino Antonio (Universitá degli studi di Messina), Regnier-Loilier Arnaud (INED). 

GGPS – Scientific support for the Generation & Gender survey  

GGPS is a demographic survey (coordinated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) conducted in Belgium at the national level with a representative sample of the population aged 18-79. This survey is part of an international project and is the subject of comparative analyses at the European level. It focuses specifically on gender relations (division of tasks, childcare, diversity of lifestyles among couples) and intergenerational relations (mutual assistance, financial transfers, care for the elderly). An inter-university team, of which DEMO is a member, is responsible for the scientific coordination of the project and assists the DGSIE in conducting the survey.  
Project leaders: Masuy-Stroobant Godelieve, Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Sanderson Jean-Paul, Vandeschrick Christophe, de Waleffe Sandrine.  
National and international collaborations: VUB, SOCO – Department of Social Research, Brussels, Belgium; Walloon Region, IWEPS – Walloon Institute for Evaluation, Forecasting and Statistics, Namur, Belgium; ADRASS asbl, Ottignies, Belgium; University of Antwerp, CELLO – Center for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, Antwerp, Belgium; Ghent University, Department of Sociology, Ghent, Belgium; SPF – Economy, SMEs, Middle Classes and Energy, DG Statistics and Economic Information, Brussels, Belgium; Flemish Government: Research Department, Brussels, Belgium. 

ICAPROS Franco-Belge (Coordination body for Franco-Belgian health promotion initiatives)  

The project aims to address all the prevention issues common to the various Franco-Belgian areas -Belgian communities in the border region of the French Ardennes and the provinces of Namur and Luxembourg in the field of cardiovascular disease prevention and its risk factors, which include medical predisposition, diet, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, heredity, and family habits.  
Project leaders: Loison Jean-Luc, Leurquin Marie-Madeleine, Schroeder Erwin, Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researcher: Majérus Paul.  
National and international collaborations: CARDOSO Corinne, Charleville Hospital – UTEP, Charleville-Mézières, France; LEWALLE Henri, Franco-Belgian Health Observatory, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France; ROPARS Liliane, CPAM de la Marne, Reims, France; LEBRUN Isabelle, Centre Marnais Promotion de la Santé, Reims, France; LEWALLE Henri, GEIE Luxlorsan, Arlon, Belgium; HERMANS Aurélie, ARS Champagne Ardenne, Chalons en Champagne, France; DEMANET Brigitte, Mutualité Chrétienne de la province de Namur, Namur, Belgium; PAUQUET Damien, Province of Luxembourg, Department of Health Prevention, Bastogne, Belgium. 

Non-economic explanations for fertility choices in Europe  

This research focuses on the influence of religiosity on couples' fertility and, more specifically, on the mediating role of family-oriented attitudes and behaviors in this influence. First, the Italian case is studied, then other European countries are considered (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland, United Kingdom), with the aim of understanding the variations in the mechanisms influencing the relationship according to the national context.  
Supervisor: Rizzi Ester.  
Researcher: Siab Ourdia.  
National and international collaborations: Campolo Maria-Gabriella (Universitá degli studi di Messina), Di Pino Antonio (Universitá degli studi di Messina), KERTZER David (Brown University). 

Migration and development: comparative analysis of the role of remittances, investments, and return migration in Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo (MAFE-CODEV)  

The role of migrants in the development of their countries of origin has become an obvious part of political discourse and policy. The aim of the MAFE-CoDev project is to challenge this political “obviousness”: are international migrants really the vectors of development that African and European policies hope they will be? This question is broken down into three themes: (1) transfers to households and their impact; (2) the reintegration of returning migrants; (3) individual and collective investments by migrants in their countries of origin. To achieve its objective of comparing policies and empirical facts, this project proceeds in two stages: (1) a detailed analysis of the political discourse and policies that link international migration and development in order to identify the assumptions on which they are based (e.g., returning migrants are vectors of development, remittances reduce poverty); (2) empirical examination of the hypotheses previously identified on the basis of analysis of quantitative data from MAFE (Migrations between Africa and Europe) surveys and qualitative data collected as part of this project.  
Principal investigator: Bruno Schoumaker.  
Researchers: Andonirina Rakotonarivo, Marie-Laurence Flahaux, José Mangalu.  
National and international partners: INED, Paris, France; Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal; University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo. 

Poverty and unmet reproductive health needs among adolescents and young people in Central Africa  

Compared to other African regions, Central Africa lags behind in terms of sexual and reproductive health: on average, it has the lowest use of modern contraceptives among married women, the highest fertility rates, maternal mortality that remains very high, particularly high adolescent fertility, and very low prenatal care coverage. In this context, unmet needs in sexual and reproductive health remain enormous, particularly among young people. As part of the DEMTREND program (AFD, IRD, AIRD, and Hewlett Foundation), we are conducting a two-phase research program with partners in Cameroon (IFORD – coordination), Congo-Brazzaville, and DR Congo. The first phase is devoted to the complementary analysis of survey data (EDS, MICS, etc.) from eight countries: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. The second phase consists of collecting and analyzing new data in Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville, using a combination of biographical, qualitative, and situational surveys. These surveys aim to assess the extent of unmet reproductive health needs among adolescents and young people in these two countries and to establish their links with poverty in its various dimensions.  
Leaders: Tabutin Dominique, Gourbin Catherine, Masquelier Bruno.  
Researcher: Sawadogo Nathalie Zagaré.  
National and international collaborations: Institute for Demographic Training and Research (IFORD), Yaoundé, Cameroon; Union for Population and Development Studies and Research (UERPOD), Brazzaville, Congo; University of Kinshasa, Department of Population and Development Sciences, Kinshasa, DRC. 

Census of the population of Louvain -la-Neuve in 2011  

The aim of this project is to compile a census of the population of Louvain-la-Neuve based on a series of files. Using this database and previous censuses, the aim is to analyze the evolution of the city's population according to its sociodemographic characteristics.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researchers: Sanderson Jean-Paul, Pierrard Antoine. 

2012 

Dependency of the elderly. Comparative analysis of care in Poland and Belgium  

The aim of this research is to compare the political responses to the specific needs of dependent elderly people in Belgium and Poland. More specifically, it consists of a comparative analysis of how dependency is taken into account in social protection systems, including an examination of existing legislative measures in this area, both for dependent elderly people and for informal caregivers.  
Project leaders: Catherine Gourbin, Guillaume Wunsch. 

DESTINY: Longitudinal and spatial analysis of social inequalities in Belgium and Luxembourg  

This study is based on the possibility of linking, at the individual level, data from the 1991 and 2001 Belgian censuses, as well as similar data for Luxembourg, in order to conduct a multidisciplinary analysis of social inequalities. Social inequalities between individuals, according to age, gender, and nationality (considered as three control variables) are analyzed in each census according to the following characteristics: type and size of household, housing and immediate environment, level of education, occupation, and health. This makes it possible to define social groups according to their position within the social continuum. The originality of this research lies in the three main strengths of the database: it is exhaustive, available at the individual level, and lends itself to a longitudinal approach, which makes it possible to explore and understand social inequalities in both their temporal and spatial dimensions.  
Project leader: Eggerickx Thierry.  
Researcher: Hermia Jean-Pierre.  
National and international partners: KUL, ISEG, Leuven, Belgium; CEPS/INSTEAD, GEODE, Differdange, Luxembourg. 

HISSTAT: Development of a statistical database available at the local level in Belgium from the 19th to the 20th century  

This project aims to build a database of statistics available in Belgium at the municipal level since 1795. The overall objective is to protect and exploit Belgium's rich historical heritage of statistics and make it accessible to the public. The database is based on a computer operating system that allows for the digital processing of data and the creation of historical maps.  
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Masuy-Stroobant Godelieve.  
Researcher: Sanderson Jean-Paul.  
National and international partners: Ghent University, Department of Modern History, Ghent, Belgium; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Social Research, Interface Demography, Brussels, Belgium. 

Internship locations for general medicine students in the French-speaking community.  

This research aims, first, to compile an inventory of internship locations for general medicine students. Second, it aims to determine the factors that influence general medicine students' choice of a particular internship location.  
Responsible parties: Eggerickx Thierry, Gourbin Catherine, Thillaye du Boullay Didier, Duyver Corentin.  
Researcher: Martin Elisabeth. 

MAFE: Migration between Africa and Europe  

The MAFE research project is an international initiative that aims to study migration between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. The key idea underlying the entire project is that migration should not be viewed as a unidirectional flow from Africa to Europe. Returns, circulation, and transnational practices of migrants are essential points that must be properly understood in order to design better migration policies. The MAFE project studies migration flows between Europe (Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana, which account for more than a quarter of African migration to the European Union. Biographical surveys are being conducted in the three countries of departure and the six countries of destination. For each of these migration systems, the research aims to address four main areas: (1) migration trends, (2) determinants of migration, (3) migration and the economy, (4) migration and families.  
Project leader: Schoumaker Bruno.  
Researchers: Eggerickx Thierry, Flahaux Marie-Laurence, Nappa Jocelyn, Phongi Albert, Rakotonarivo Andonirina, Vause Sophie, Diagne Alioune.  
National and international partners: INED, Paris, France; University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom; Maastricht University, Netherlands; FIERI, Rome, Italy; Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; University of Kinshasa, DR Congo; Cheikh Anta Diopa University, Dakar, Senegal; University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 

Population and household projections for Belgian municipalities  

The aim of this project is to provide population and household projections at the municipal level in Belgium. These are multi-state projections. A specific method has been developed to take into account the problem of “small numbers.” For each municipality, this project provides population figures, population distribution by age and gender, and household characteristics for the year 2026.  
Project leaders: Eggerickx Thierry, Poulain Michel.  
Researchers: Sanderson Jean-Paul, Dal Luc.