Demografischer Wandel

Since 1999, the Johann-Joachim-Becher Foundation based in Speyer has perennially awarded a prize devoted to one of the subjects studied by the polymath Johann Joachim Becher, who was born in Speyer in 1635. The theme of the 7th Becher Prize was ‘Demographic change – a challenge for politics, economics and society’, and this book collates two of the studies submitted for the prize which were duly honoured. The first addresses strategies for rural areas in a European comparison, while the second focuses on the issue of financing pensions. Furthermore, the book contains a report on the keynote lecture by Prof. Dr. Norbert Schneider, the head of the Federal Institute for Population Research. Finally, this work is supplemented by a brief outline of the regional strategy on demographic change adopted by the metropolitan area of Rhine-Neckar. With contributions by Kirsten Mangels, Klaus Opfermann, Norbert Schneider, Gunnar Schwarting, Karl-Peter Sommermann, Julia Wohland.