Lecture Summary: Demographics Overview

Urbanization

• Definition: Movement from rural to urban areas.
• Perspectives:
  • Functionalism: Cities as centers of culture/diversity but also crime.
  • Conflict Theory: Cities as sources of inequality and conflict due to cultural diversity.
  • Symbolic Interactionism: Cities as cultural hubs with strong norms and values.
• Reasons for Urbanization: Jobs, better utilities, healthcare, and education.
• Suburbs and Exurbs:
  • Suburbs: Outskirts of cities for community and individual space.
  • Exurbs: Prosperous areas beyond suburbs.
• Urban Renewal & Gentrification: Rebuilding city areas, potentially displacing residents.
• Rural Rebound: Movement back to rural areas to escape urban stress.

Population Dynamics

• Factors: Fertility, Migration, and Mortality rates.
• Fertility: Birth rate in a population.
• Migration:
  • Immigration: Moving into a country (increases population).
  • Emigration: Moving out of a country (decreases population).
• Mortality: Death rate in a population.
• Population Pyramid:
  • Expansive: High birth/death rates, many young people, few old people.
  • Stationary: Low birth/death rates, balanced age distribution.
  • Constrictive: Low birth/death rates, fewer young people than old; seen in developed countries.
• Population Growth Rate:
  • Equation: Initial population + Births + Immigrants - Emigrants - Deaths.
  • Positive Growth: Population increases.
  • Negative Growth: Population decreases.

Demographic Transition

• Overview: Model of population changes in a country.
• Stages:
  1. High birth and death rates, stable population (high stationary pyramid).
  2. Declining death rates due to better conditions (early expanding pyramid).
  3. Declining birth rates due to contraception and changing values (late expanding pyramid).
  4. Balanced birth and death rates, stable and large population (low stationary pyramid).
  5. Speculative future stage, could be stable, increase, or decrease (constricted pyramid).

Globalization

• Definition: Sharing of ideas, cultures, services, and products across national borders.
• Theories:
  • World Systems Theory: World divided into Core, Periphery, and Semi-Periphery nations.
  • Modernization Theory: Countries develop from traditional to modern stages.
  • Dependency Theory: Third world countries remain poor due to their position in the global economy.
• Perspectives:
  • Hyperglobalists: Movement towards a global society.
  • Skeptics: Emphasize regionalization over globalization.
  • Transformationalists: Indeterminate change in the role of countries.
• Transnational Corporations: Significant economic entities influencing global economy.
• Effects: Interdependence, economic and cultural changes, both positive and negative impacts.

Social Movements

• Types:
  • Activist: Seek societal change.
  • Regressive/Reactionary: Resist societal change.
• Examples: Environmental movements.
• Theories:
  • Relative Deprivation Theory: Movements form due to perceived inequalities.
  • Resource Mobilization Theory: Requires resources for success.
  • Rational Choice Theory: Actions motivated by personal benefit analysis.
• Outcomes: Movements either fail or succeed and integrate into society.

Conclusion

• The lecture covered urbanization, population dynamics, demographic transition, globalization, and social movements as key aspects of demographics.