In this module, you’ve been learning about the dynamics of demography–the studying of the size, composition, distribution and changes over time in human population. You’ve learned about demography not only in the chapter reading assignment, but also by looking at the video clips and population clocks that are also featured in the module. Although we are currently over 7.5 billion people on the planet, I’d like to bring the discussion of population down to a more micro level. After all, it is the small, collective actions of many individuals and groups that together create those large-scale social realities.
For this Discussion, I’d like you to consider your family history as if you were analyzing it like a demographer. Go back through prior generations (your parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents), and project into the future. Consider both biological and sociological factors that are involved in population dynamics, and how these might have influenced the decisions within your own family, and the path that they took. Look for ways to integrate some of the major demographic variables such as fertility, mortality, life expectancy, and immigration, emigration, and internal migration, as well as other concepts from the textbook related to urbanization or the environment. I use some of these key terms in these instructions and the prompts below, but they’re not the only ones. If you don’t know these terms, make sure to look them up in the textbook before composing your posts. Put key terms in boldface in your post. Please note: If you would not feel comfortable discussing your real family, you can talk about an imaginary family instead.
For your long post, respond to the following prompts. You must be thorough and detailed in your responses–please say more than just a couple of sentences for each. Apply key terms. Number your responses as below, but don’t include the questions themselves.
How has your family impacted population growth or shrinkage? Can you relate larger patterns or trends in population to your own family?
What are some of your own or your family’s values or norms about marriage and children? Did any kind of religious, political, economic or cultural forces have an influence on your family’s ideas or behavior regarding marriage or children? Please focus only on how family values and norms were related to demography.
Where does your family reside? Look back over the generations to at least your grandparents or beyond. When and how was your family involved in emigrating, immigrating, or migrating to the area in which they now reside? Why did they move? Where do you predict that you and/or your family might live in the future?
Has your family contributed to any of the issues related to population growth such as urbanization, crowding or environmental issues such as resource depletion? Has your family contributed to some of the solutions to population problems such as by practicing family planning or supporting zero population growth (ZPG)?
What are your predictions about how you and your family might affect population change in the future?
For your short post, reply to a classmate who has similar or different elements in their family analysis. Thank them for sharing their story. Compare or contrast a part of your family history to theirs. Again, please be thoughtful and supportive in your reply, and say more than just a couple of sentences.