SOC605 Official Handouts

Lesson 01 · INTRODUCTION TO THE POPULATION DYNAMICS · Topic 001: Introduction to Population Studies

Population studies is defined as the scientific study of Human Population (Lundquist, Anderton and Yaukey, 2015). Or

Population studies is the study of the relationship between demographic and non-demographic variable (Lundquist, Anderton and Yaukey, 2015).

Topic 002: Introduction to Population Studies

In terms of defining Population, it is the whole number of inhabitants occupying an area (such as a country or a world) and continually being modify by increases (births and immigrations) and losses (deaths and emigrations).

Population studies is the science of population that examines:

1. The Size and Composition of Population.
2. The Dynamic Life courses of the population.
3. It deals with the relationship between population composition and population change.
4. The size and Composition of Population includes:

• Age
• Ethnicity
• Sex
• Union status (marital or cohabiting)
• Educational attainment
• Spatial Distribution

2. It also deals with the dynamics of Life-course processes that changes the population composition:

• Births
• Deaths
• Unions
• Migration

3. It also deals with the relationships between population composition and change, and the broader social and physical environment in which they exist.

Top 10 Largest Countries by Population, 2020 · Population of Countries of South Asia 2020 · Country · India · 1,380,004,385 · Pakistan · 222,589,309 · 164,689,383 · Iran · 83,992,949 · 38,928,346 · Nepal · 29,136,808 · Sri Lanka · 21,413,249 · Bhutan · 771,608 · Maldives · 540,544

Topic 003: Significance of Studying Population Studies for Social Sciences Student – I

With the majority of developing countries facing population explosion, the study of population and its problems has become very important in every sphere of an economy.

1. For Economy

Population studies helps us to know how far the growth rate of the economy is keeping pace with the growth rate of the population. If the population is increasing at a faster rate, the pace of

Country · China · 1,441,472,652 · India · 1,380,004,385 · USA · 331,755,305 · Indonesia · 274,653,007 · Pakistan · 222,589,309 · Brazil · 213,146,399 · Nigeria · 208,177,451 · 165,329,483 · Russia · 145,958,533 · Mexico · 129,461,649

development of economy will be slow. Rapid population growth reduces per capita income, lowers the standard of living, plunges the economy into mass unemployment and under employment, brings environmental damage and puts a burden on existing social infrastructure. Population studies highlights these problems of the economy to be solve by the government.

2. For Society

Population studies have much more importance for the society. When population is increasing rapidly, the society is face with innumerable problems. Shortages of basic services like water, electricity, transport and communications, public health, education, etc. arise. Along with these, problems of migration and urbanization are associated with the growing population, which further lead to the law-and-order problem. Faced with such problems, which are the concomitant result of population growth, the state and nongovernment social organizations can adopt appropriate measures to solve them.

Topic 004: Significance of Studying Population Studies for Social Sciences Student - II

3. For Administrators

Population studies are also useful for administrators who run the government. In underdeveloped countries, almost all social and economic problems are associated with the growth of population. The administrator has to tackle and find solutions to the problems arising from the growth of population. They are migration and urbanization which lead to the coming up of shantytowns, pollution, drainage, water, electricity, transport, etc. in cities. These require improvement of environmental sanitation, removal of stagnant and polluted water, slum clearance; better housing, efficient transport system, clean water supply, better sewerage facilities, control of communicable diseases, provision of medical and health services, especially in maternal and child welfare by opening health centers, opening of schools, etc.

4. For Political system

The knowledge of demography is of immense importance for a democratic political system. It is on basis of the census figures pertaining to different areas that, the election commission of a country does the demarcation of constituencies. The addition to the number of voters after each election helps to find out how many have migrated from other places and regions of the country. Political parties are able to find out from the census data the number of male and female voters, their level of education, their age structure, their level of earning, etc. On this basis, political parties can raise issues and promise solutions in their election manifestos at the time of elections. Further, it is on basis of male and female voters in an area that the election commission establishes election booths for voters and appoints the election staff.

Lundquist, J. H., Anderton, D. L., & Yaukey, D. (2015). Demography: The Study of Human Population (Fourth ed.).