Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. The demographic future of Western Balkans: between depopulation and immigration -- Chapter 3. Population ageing process and depopulation context in Western Balkans -- Chapter 4. Temporary migration and policy challenges in the Western Balkan countries - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia perspectives -- Chapter 5. The evolution of family related behaviours in the Western Balkans and their impact on present and future family and population structures: an analysis concerning the period 1945-2050 -- Chapter 6. Mortality and health developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro -- Chapter 7. Serbia: Policy response to demographic challenges -- Chapter 8. Spatial distribution of human capital in Serbia: empirical analysis with special reference to education -- Chapter 9. Challenges in getting old in Croatia -- Chapter 10. Albanian return migration in times of economic hardship -- Chapter 11. A spatial approach of migration and poverty in Albania: an inevitable correlation? -- Chapter 12. Nationals and foreigners fertility in a crisis environment, the case of Greece (2009-2020) -- Chapter 13. Is a Future Upward Trend in Births a Realistic Policy Goal? -- Chapter 14. The impact of highly skilled returning emigrants on the origin country’s innovation performance: Evidence from Greece -- Chapter 15. Culture versus political and ecclesiastic legislation. A study on how Eastern Orthodox Easter customs and individual agency affect people’s health in Greece -- Chapter 16. Attitudes towards reproduction and creating a family among Albanian women – the case of Arachinovo municipality, North Macedonia.

This book is a collection of scientific studies regarding the biological, economic, historical, health, social, and other aspects of the populations of the western Balkans, a geographic area with distinct as well as diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, political systems, ethnic characteristics, development, and history. Through providing data analyses, statistical methodologies, and important applications, the book addresses and explores topics such as temporary migration and human resource availability, depopulation, and the immigration future, returning migrants, poverty, population dynamics and birth rate trends, reproduction and family creation, aging, mortality and health developments, and much more. As such, this book is of great importance in understanding the mechanisms of population change and dynamics in an European area and provides a valuable guide for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners from various disciplines.