Transcript Ch. 14 Population and Environment

Population
Michael Itagaki
Sociology 101, Introduction to Sociology
Population

Demography
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Studies the size, composition, growth
and distribution of human populations
Relationship between population
and the environment
Population
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Thomas Malthus (1798)
 An Essay on the Principle of Population
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Population grows exponentially
2 to 4 to 8 to 16… = 2x
Food supply increases arithmetically
1 to 2 to 3 to 4… = x+1
Population
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Thomas Malthus (1798)
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Exponential growth: Penny example
1 day, 1 cent; 2 days, 2 cents; 3 days, 4 cents
One week = $
1.28
Two weeks = $
163.84
Three weeks = $ 20,971.52
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
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Exponential population growth curve
Population will outgrow food supply
Anti-Malthusians
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Exponential population growth curve
is wrong
People adapt to the environment
Population
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Anti-Malthusians
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Rational planning for having children
Increased food production

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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
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Growth is slowing down
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Demographic transition for rest of world
Theoretical Views on
Population Growth

New-Malthusians

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Population growth = not enough food
Solution: limit population
Anti-Malthusians
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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
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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
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Final exam
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No makeups

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Thursday, May 24, 1 p.m, Room 127
Everyone must take final to pass
Extra Credit due Tuesday, May 15
Social Change

A shift in the characteristics of culture and
society

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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”
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Rising carbon dioxide levels
Correspond with rising temperatures
Ramifications?
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Water: stronger storms/drought
Artic/Greenland: sea level
Climate: ecological niches
The Environment:
Global Warming

“An Inconvenient Truth”
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Handout: 10 things to do
We have technology/resources to
reduce our CO2 output and thus
slow global warming process.
The Environment:
Global Warming

“An Inconvenient Truth”
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What was a surprising/shocking
fact in the film?
What can we do?
The Environment:
Global Warming

“An Inconvenient Truth”
 Intergovernmental
 Increase
Panel on Climate Change
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
 CO2 influence
temperature?
 Temperature influence CO2 ?
 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?