Population Michael Itagaki Sociology 101, Introduction to Sociology

Population Demography  Studies the size, composition, growth and distribution of human populations  Relationship between population and the environment

Population Thomas Malthus (1798)  An Essay on the Principle of Population  Population grows exponentially 2 to 4 to 8 to 16… = 2 x  Food supply increases arithmetically 1 to 2 to 3 to 4… = x+1

Population Thomas Malthus (1798)  Exponential growth: Penny example  1 day, 1 cent; 2 days, 2 cents; 3 days, 4 cents  One week = $ 1.28  Two weeks = $  Three weeks = $ 20,  Four weeks = $2,684,354.56

Population New Malthusians  Exponential population growth curve

Figure 13.1 (p. 424) World Population: The Exponential Growth Curve Sources: Piotrow 1973: 4; Haub 1995, 2004.

Population New Malthusians  Exponential population growth curve  Population will outgrow food supply Anti-Malthusians  Exponential population growth curve is wrong  People adapt to the environment

Population Anti-Malthusians  Rational planning for having children  Increased food production  Technology/Agriculture  Ex.: Europe’s demographic transition

Figure 13.3 (p. 426) The Demographic Transition Source: By the author.

Figure 13.1 (p. 424) World Population: The Exponential Growth Curve Sources: Piotrow 1973: 4; Haub 1995, 2004.

Population Anti-Malthusians  Growth is slowing down  Demographic transition for rest of world

Theoretical Views on Population Growth New-Malthusians  Population growth = not enough food  Solution: limit population Anti-Malthusians  More food available now than ever  Solution: Redistribution of food (political barriers)

Symbolic Interactionism Why do the poor want so many children?  Asset to the family  Taking the role of the other

Figure 13.6 (p. 432) Why the Poor in the Least Industrialized Nations Want Many Children Based on a survey in Indonesia, this figure shows how children are economic assets in the Least Industrialized Nations. Boys and girls can be net income earners for their families by the age of 9 or 10. Source: U.N. Fund for Population Activities.

Functionalism War, famine, disease are functional to society  Latent dysfunctions  Modern medicine  Public health practices

Figure 13.3 (p. 426) The Demographic Transition Source: By the author.

Figure 13.7 (p. 433) Population Pyramids of Mexico and the United States Source: By the author. Computed from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, International Data Base, Table 94.

Finals Week reminders Final exam  Thursday, May 24, 1 p.m, Room 127 No makeups  Everyone must take final to pass Extra Credit due Tuesday, May 15

Social Change A shift in the characteristics of culture and society  Hunt/gather  Horticultural  Plow  Agricultural societies  Steam engine  Industrial Revolution  Microchip  Post-industrial/Information

Social Change: The Environment Michael Itagaki Sociology 101, Introduction to Sociology

The Environment: Global Warming/Climate Change “An Inconvenient Truth”  Rising carbon dioxide levels  Correspond with rising temperatures  Ramifications?  Water: stronger storms/drought  Artic/Greenland: sea level  Climate: ecological niches

The Environment: Global Warming “An Inconvenient Truth”  Handout: 10 things to do  We have technology/resources to reduce our CO 2 output and thus slow global warming process.

The Environment: Global Warming “An Inconvenient Truth”  What was a surprising/shocking fact in the film?  What can we do?

The Environment: Global Warming “An Inconvenient Truth”  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  Increase in temperatures caused by greenhouse gases  Temperature and sea levels will rise regardless  Sea levels will likely rise 7”-23”

The Environment: Global Warming “An Inconvenient Truth”  Caveats to consider  CO 2 influence temperature?  Temperature influence CO 2 ?  Both

The Environment: Global Warming “An Inconvenient Truth”  So what do you want to do?  Informed decisions  Do you believe you can make a difference?