A 1905 law degree from the University of Naples Federico II served as the foundation for a career spanning statistics, demography, and economics. Giorgio Mortara, born in Mantua in 1885, transitioned from early research in probability theory into a significant academic and advisory presence across two continents before his death in Rio de Janeiro in 1967.
European Academic Foundations
Mortara spent the initial phase of his career conducting research in Berlin from 1907 to 1908, collaborating with L. von Bortkiewicz on probability theory and the law of rare events. He maintained a long tenure as the director of the Giornale degli economisti from 1910 to 1938. His teaching career included positions at the University of Messina between 1909 and 1914, followed by roles in Rome from 1915 to 1924, and finally in Milan until 1938.
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In 1939, racial policies forced Mortara to leave Italy, leading to his relocation to Brazil. He served as the technical advisor for the National Census from 1939 to 1948 and for the National Council of Statistics from 1949 to 1957. During this period, he established a demographic school and later gained international recognition as the president of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population in 1954, becoming honorary president in 1957.
Return to Italy and Scholarly Recognition
Mortara resumed his association with the University of Rome in 1956, receiving an appointment as professor emeritus in 1961. His scholarly contributions were recognized through various memberships and honors, including election to the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in 1947. He was also a Fellow of the Econometric Society, starting in 1937, and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, elected in 1952.
Selected Publications
His bibliography spans decades of research, beginning with Le popolazioni delle grandi città italiane in 1908. Key works include Statistica economica e demografica (1920), Lezioni di statistica metodologica (1922), and La salute pubblica in Italia durante e dopo la guerra (1925). Later publications reflect his ongoing interests, such as L'Economia della popolazione published in 1960 and Raccolta di Saggi di metodologia demografica in 1963.
Fast facts
- Born: 1885, Mantua, Italy
- Died: 1967, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Education: University of Naples Federico II
- Field: Statistics, Economics, Demography
- Key Role: Technical Advisor, National Census, Brazil (1939–1948)
- Membership: Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei
- Academic Status: Professor Emeritus, University of Rome (1961)
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Giorgio Mortara study at university?
He earned a degree in Law in 1905, though his professional career focused on demography, statistics, and economics.
Why did he leave Italy in 1939?
He was forced to depart due to racial reasons.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Milan
- Fields: economics, demography and statistics
