Chapter 15: Populations, Cities, and Environments

Population Demography is the study of the size, composition, distribution, and changes in human population. Three basic demographic variables are crucial to understanding population dynamics. We’re going to talk about each of these variables in upcoming slides. 2 2

Population (cont’d.) The first is fertility rates—the average number of births per 1,000 people in the population. This tells us a lot about a population. If the people are having many children, they may not have access to education or birth control. In the United States, the birth rate is rather low. In some countries, there is a negative birth rate, meaning that so few babies are being born the population is not even replacing itself. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1960s_Afghanistan_-_Infant_ward_in_a_Kabul_hospital_at_feeding_time.jpg] 3 3

Population (cont’d.) The second is mortality rates—the average number of deaths per 1,000 people in the population. A related concept is infant mortality rates—the average number of deaths per 1,000 live births. This also tells us a lot about a population. Is it possible that many babies are being born but they aren’t surviving? What would this tell us about the health care in a given area? 4 4

Population (cont’d.) Also related is life expectancy— the average age to which a person can expect to live. This also gives us information about the availability of medicine, medical treatment, and technology available. 5 5

Population (cont’d.) The third demographic variable is migration—the movement of people from one geographic area to another for the purpose of resettling. Related concepts are immigration and emigration. Immigrants are those people coming into a country or region to which they are not native. Emigrants are those departing from a country or region with the intention of settling permanently elsewhere. Internal migration refers to patterns within a country, where the movement is generally from rural to urban areas. The net migration for any country is the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons. In 2008 the net migration for the United States was 3.05, which means that after adjusting for the people who emigrated, there was a total of 3.05 persons per 1,000 who immigrated. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Emigrants_Leave_Ireland_by_Henry_Doyle_1868.jpg] 6 6

Population (cont’d.) Robert Malthus was concerned about population growth and overpopulation. The Malthusian theorem stated that exponential population growth would outpace arithmetic growth in food production and other resources. These concerns first emerged during the Industrial Revolution. In other words, population numbers would increase in the pattern 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and so on (doubling), while food production numbers would increase in the pattern 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (adding 1 each time). 7 7

Population (cont’d.) Neo-Malthusians believe that population growth will eventually outpace available resources and lead to a global catastrophe. Anti-Malthusians believe that family planning (contraception or any other method of controlling family size and birth of children) and other changes will eventually cause population shrinkage. Ask your students what they think about these two ideas. Do they see one or the other more commonly portrayed in the media? 9 9

Population (cont’d.) Anti-Malthusians forecast a very different future when the pattern of demographic transition (a theory suggesting the possible transition over time from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, resulting in a stabilized population) now occurring in many industrialized nations spreads to the rest of the developing world. Ask your class if there are benefits to a stabilized population—or negative consequences? 10 10

Urbanization Urbanization refers to the movement of increasing numbers of people from rural areas to urban areas. This is because many people once made their living from farming, or using wide plots of land. Nowadays, most people “go to work” because work is not at the home site. Before the Industrial Revolution, most people around the world lived in rural areas. The wide-scale development of cities was made possible by the significant social, economic, and political changes accompanying the Industrial Revolution. These changes have altered our social landscape. 11 11

Urbanization (cont’d.) A metropolis is an urban area with a large population, usually 500,000 to 1,000,000 people. [ 13 13

Urbanization (cont’d.) A megalopolis (or megacity) is a group of densely populated metropolises that grow dependent on each other and eventually combine to form a huge urban complex. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tokyo_Skyline.jpg] 14 14

Urbanization (cont’d.) Suburbanization is the shift of large segments of population away from the urban core and toward the edge of cities. Urban sprawl is a derogatory term applied to the expansion of urban or suburban boundaries, associated with irresponsible or poorly planned development. Along with urbanization, an important countertrend surfaced in the years immediately following World War II, called suburbanization. 15 15

Rural/Urban Makeup of U.S. Population, 1800-2010

Urbanization (cont’d.) Another trend that has changed many formerly blighted cities is gentrification—the transformation of poor inner-city neighborhoods into more affluent, middle-class communities. Students may have been aware of this trend in recent years, when property values skyrocketed. Suddenly areas that were once considered “undesirable” were becoming “fixer-uppers.” An unfortunate aspect of gentrification is that as property values within a gentrified area increase, original residents must bear higher taxes and costs of living. In many instances they are unable to keep their homes. 17 17

Urbanization (cont’d.) Many sociologists also believe that the freedom of city life is a source of alienation (decreasing importance of social ties and community and the corresponding increase in impersonal associations and instrumental logic). Louis Wirth’s research was in line with the belief that cities caused social atomism (a social situation that emphasizes individualism over collective or group identities). If group identity is considered unimportant or unavailable, this could increase feelings of alienation. 18 18

Urbanization (cont’d.) An urban legend is a form of modern folklore, a story that is believed (incorrectly) to be true and is widely spread because it expresses concerns, fears, and anxieties about the social world. For fun, ask your students for stories they have heard, to see which they might have in common. Then ask what these stories might express about the social world. This picture is of the “Bunny Man Bridge,” referring to a legend about a man who dresses in a bunny costume and hides there, to kill people with an axe. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bunnyman_bridge_night.jpg] 19 19

Urbanization (cont’d.) Other research on cities has examined the bystander effect (the social dynamic that shows that the more people are present in a moment of crisis, the less likely any one of them is to take action). Maybe it is possible that our urban legends have contributed to the bystander effect! [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man_speaking_on_mobile_phone2 .jpg] 20 20

The Environment The environment refers to the natural world, the human-made environment, and the interaction between the two. Ask students: Why are sociologists interested in the environment? Hopefully they will be able to see the connection between the social world and the natural world. For instance, do people treat strangers the same in big cities as they do in small towns? As a result of the landscape, the interactions are different. The environment impacts our social interactions immensely and we’re going to talk about that in the upcoming slides. 21 21

The Environment (cont’d.) Sociologists are interested in social ecology (the study of human populations and their impact on the natural world), especially as environmental degradation has increasingly become a social problem. We know that humans impact the physical environment. We also know that there are environmental issues like pollution and deforestation. Sociologists are interested in how these issues affect us on micro and macro levels. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beach_in_Sharm_el-Naga03.jpg] 22 22

The Environment (cont’d.) Environmental sociology is the study of the interaction between society and the natural environment, including the social causes and consequences of environmental problems. 23 23

The Environment (cont’d.) Environmental sociology focuses on four areas: How the political economy influences the environment Society’s attitudes about the environment The environmental movement (an organized, social movement) Sustainable development We’ll talk more about some of these four areas in upcoming slides. Essentially, the political economy of the environment focuses on how economic factors influence the way organizations and corporations use the environment. For instance, if corporations pursue profit, would they switch to an environmentally friendly manufacturing process if it were more expensive? Environmental sociology also studies societal attitudes about the environment. The new ecological paradigm recognizes that human activity can have both intended and unintended consequences that shape social life and life on the planet. We’re going to talk more about the environmental movement and its stages in just a second, but realize broadly that it is a social movement that encourages society to think and act in environmentally responsible ways. The fourth area of environmental sociology deals with sustainable development. This is a broad concept based on the premise that the developmental aspirations of all countries cannot be met by following the path already taken by industrialized nations because the world’s ecosystems cannot sustain such growth. 24 24

The Environment (cont’d.) The environmental movement is a social movement organized around concerns about the relationship between humans and the environment. Its first efforts, in the nineteenth century, (conservation era) focused on conservation of wilderness areas. Environmentalists advocate for protection and restoration of the natural world. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg] 25 25

The Environment (cont’d.) The modern environmental movement arose in the mid-twentieth century in response to ecological disasters that threaten public health and safety. Mainstream environmentalism grew in the 1980s as the movement consolidated and lobbied government about environmental concerns. 26 26

The Environment (cont’d.) Most recently, grassroots environmentalism has emerged in response to perceived blind spots in the larger mainstream groups. Grassroots organizers focus on local action and community involvement. While environmental issues are often hailed as social problems, it is encouraging to see how individuals can exert effort and make a positive change. We’ll talk more about ways that this can happen in the next chapter, but try thinking of ways that you might get involved with issues that are important to you! Coastal or community cleanups are common examples of local action. 27 27

Chapter 15: Participation Questions Think about the place where you grew up or the place you would consider your childhood home. Was it more rural or urban? rural urban These questions can be used with “clickers,” cell phones, or other audience response systems to increase participation in your classes. They can also be used to encourage discussion without technological input. 28

Chapter 15: Participation Questions Think about the place where you grew up or the place you would consider your childhood home. Did you feel a sense of community? yes no These questions can be used with “clickers,” cell phones, or other audience response systems to increase participation in your classes. They can also be used to encourage discussion without technological input. 29

Do you recycle? yes no Chapter 15: Participation Questions These questions can be used with “clickers,” cell phones, or other audience response systems to increase participation in your classes. They can also be used to encourage discussion without technological input. 30

Do you drive a hybrid or electric car? yes no Chapter 15: Participation Questions Do you drive a hybrid or electric car? yes no These questions can be used with “clickers,” cell phones, or other audience response systems to increase participation in your classes. They can also be used to encourage discussion without technological input. 31

Chapter 15: Participation Questions Think about electronics or appliances. Have you ever thrown something away because it is cheaper to replace the item than to fix it? yes no These questions can be used with “clickers,” cell phones, or other audience response systems to increase participation in your classes. They can also be used to encourage discussion without technological input. 32

This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for Chapter 15 33