Saverio Minardi’s talk explored the impact of big data and new technologies on historical demography and the study of past societies.
The Italian Society of Historical Demography congratulates its member Saverio Minardi, selected among the winners of the 2025 Top Ten in Moral Sciences, an initiative promoted by the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna to highlight the work of young scholars in the humanities and social sciences.
Founded in 1691 as the Accademia degli Inquieti, the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna is one of the oldest scientific institutions in Italy still in operation. Today, it is organized into two classes—Physical Sciences and Moral Sciences—and has promoted research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge for over three centuries.
The Top Ten in Moral Sciences is a prestigious opportunity aimed at fostering science communication, interdisciplinary exchange, and research excellence. Participants are invited to present, in an accessible yet rigorous manner, the most recent developments in their respective disciplines. Presentations are evaluated by a jury based on clarity, scientific soundness, and the ability to convey the relevance of the topic to a broad audience.
As part of this edition, Saverio Minardi delivered a talk titled “Big Data for Historical Social Sciences”, reflecting on the role of new technologies and big data in the study of past societies. The presentation highlighted how archival digitization, artificial intelligence, and citizen science are transforming historical demography by expanding the range of available sources and opening new lines of inquiry into family, social, and intergenerational dynamics.
Saverio Minardi is currently a research fellow in the ERC-funded GENPOP project at the Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, where he also teaches in the Bio-demographic Laboratory. He holds a PhD in Sociology and Social Research from the University of Trento. His research interests include historical and social demography, with a particular focus on family structures, social inequalities, migration processes, and intergenerational dynamics.
SIDeS expresses its appreciation for this important recognition, which underscores the relevance and vitality of historical demography within the broader landscape of the human and social sciences.
Download the presentation: Minardi_presentazione