SOCY 20 Population and Society
The world’s population will more than double from 7 to 16 billion by 2100. In addition, some countries’ populations are booming whereas others face rapid decline. What does this mean for public policy, population health and aging, fertility and reproductive health, immigration and social inequality? To gain insight into these questions, social scientists study some of life’s most intimate moments – sex, illness and death, and moving from home to home. These components of population change (mortality, fertility, and migration) help us better understand the impact of population composition and change. In this class, we will first learn the basic tools that social scientists use to analyze broad population trends. We will then use these tools to gain insight into population patterns across the globe. At the end of the course, students will apply what they learned to the analysis of the population trends of a country of their choice, as well as compare and contrast population trends across different countries.
Instructor
Sharp