Department of Sociology
Office: 3353 Turlington Hall                                                                               Office hours: Mon 1:30 – 2:45pm
Phone: 392-0265 ext. 251                                                                                                      Wed 1:00 - 2:45 pm
Email: tkcox@soc.ufl.edu                                                                                                                or by appointment

This course is designed to introduce students to major issues related to population size and growth, population processes, and composition in the United States. The course covers both historical and contemporary issues. It also introduces some basic measures and data sources used to study populations.

1. Develop an understanding of the basic concepts that are used to describe and study populations. We will focus on the three major demographic processes that shape population growth and composition – mortality, fertility, and migration.
2. Review the historical background for understanding population issues, particularly the dramatic growth and diversity of the U.S. population and the forces that have shaped it.
3. Develop an understanding of how populations are measured, including the U.S. Census and vital statistics, and how to access and interpret these numbers.
4. Use and interpret basic demographic measures, including the balancing equation, growth rates and compounded growth, population pyramids, and measures of mortality, fertility, and migration.
5. Develop an awareness of contemporary social issues and make connections between historical population processes, social consequences, and policy implications.

Texts:

• Demography, 3rd edition. David Yaukey, Douglas L. Anderton, & Jennifer Hickes Lundquist. Waveland Press. 2007 (DEM)
• Florida's Megatrends: Critical Issues in Florida. David R. Colburn & Lance DeHaven-Smith. University Press of Florida. 2002. (FL)
• Course pack: Readings available from Orange & Blue Textbooks, 309 NW 13th Street. (CP)

News: Students are expected to read at least one major newspaper 2-3 times per week (most are available free on-line). Students are also encouraged to explore on-line news, government reports, data, etc.

The course combines lectures, in-class discussion, assigned readings, and internet resources. Readings are assigned for nearly every class. You are strongly encouraged to do the readings before coming to each class. Class attendance is required. Unannounced, in-class writing assignments will be given over the course of the term and will count toward your final course grade (20 points, or 10% of the grade). Up to 3 excused absences are allowed. Missing more than 3 classes will seriously hinder your success in the course and must be discussed with the instructor as early as possible.

    Exam 1                  October 3                                  35 points

    Exam 2                  October 31                                35 points

    Take-home final     Due December 10, 3:00 pm        35 points

    Assignment 1         Due September 17                     25 points

    Assignment 2         Due November 30                     30 points

News Essay
        Due on the day of group presentation                  25 points

In-class writing and discussion                                15 points

Instructions for take-home assignments and news essays will be discussed in class and posted on-line.

Take-Home Assignments involve finding current data on the internet, and interpreting and comparing demographic indicators. Assignment 1 compares 2 states. Assignment 2 compares 3 Florida counties. Assignments are due in class – you should come prepared to present and discuss your work. Late assignments will have points deducted and will be accepted only if there is a serious, documented reason. Any late assignments must be discussed with the instructor as early as possible.

News essays and discussion: Students will be assigned to groups of about 4 students. The group assignment determines your due date for the essay and discussion. The news essay (4-6 pages, double-spaced) should discuss contemporary issues in the news related to the week’s topic (e.g., fertility, mortality and health issues, etc.) or other relevant events or news. Each student must turn in his/her own, individual essay, based on at least 3 news articles; specific bibliographic information must be included, and a copy of each article should be turned in with your essay.  For more detailed instructions and suggestions, click here.

News essays should discuss the central topics in the articles and how they relate to course material, including readings and class discusison. You should also critique the articles' use and discussion of data. What information is included? Where does it come from? Is it clearly referenced/attributed? How are the population issues discussed? What viewpoints or assumptions are evident? What information or viewpoints are excluded?

Each group should prepare a BRIEF presentation (no more than 10 minutes!) highlighting the most interesting or important news items. Power Point slides, video, and other formats are encouraged. Good presentations may earn up to 5 extra points, which may offset any missed in-class assignments.

Completed take home assignments and news essays must be turned in (in class) on the due date. Late assignments will have points deducted and will be accepted only if there is a serious, documented reason.

Exams: The exams include multiple-choice, short-answer, and short-essay formats. The dates of the exams are provided on the syllabus. Make-up exams will be given only in the event of a serious, documented reason or a time conflict with another final exam; unless it is an emergency, any concerns about make-up exams should be discussed with the instructor in advance (at least 48 hours) of the scheduled exam.

Aug. 24         Introduce course, syllabus, requirements

Aug. 27         Defining our terms: Demography, population studies, populations

Aug. 29         Population size and growth
                     Population concepts – balancing equation and its components
                                    DEM, ch. 1
                                    http://edr.state.fl.us/population/censuscomponentsofchange.pdf
                                                            -- components of change for the state of Florida

                                                * Assignment 1 -- posted on-line -- click here

Aug. 31         Population size and growth - continued

Sept. 3         HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

Sept. 5         Growth rates and compounded growth
                                    DEM pp. 44-54; hand-out on compounded growth.

Sept. 7         Growth rates and compounded growth - continued

Week 4

Sept. 10       Population growth and its implications -- discussion
                                    DEM, pp. 44-68.
                                     "2007 World Population Data Sheet"  -- http://www.prb.org/pdf07/07WPDS_Eng.pdf

Sept 12        Sources of demographic data – U.S. Census, surveys, and other sources
                                    DEM, pp. 17-38
                                    Recommended: explore related material at www.census.gov
                                            and www.prb.org
                                   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau):
                                           http://www.prb.org/pdf05/60.3The_American_Community.pdf
                                   National Opinion Research Center (NORC - Univ. of Chicago)
                                           http://www.norc.uchicago.edu/projects/gensoc1.asp -- General Social Surveys

• read the study descriptions; explore the codebooks and bibliographies

Sept. 14     Sources of data, continued

Sept. 17     State growth rates and components of growth - discussion of Assignment 1               

                                                  *** Assignment 1 due in class

Sept 19      Wrap up sources of data
                   Begin mortality -
                                    DEM, pp. 121-125
                                   "Measuring Mortality" (CP)

Sept. 21      Mortality: Historical Overview and demographic transition
                                    Gill, et al., ch. 2 (CP)
                                    DEM, pp. 126-134, 163-167 (skim 134-140)

Sept. 24     Continued - mortality

Sept. 26    

Sept. 28    Differentials in mortality and health: race, class, and gender
                                    "Why Women Live Longer than Men" (Perls & Fretts) (CP)
                                    DEM, pp. 140-153

Oct. 1        Discussion and Review                                   

Oct. 3         EXAM 1 – in class

Oct. 5         Fertility: Background and history
                                    Gill, et al., ch. 3 (CP)

Oct. 8         Fertility: Measures, concepts, and approaches  [+ went over Exam 1]
                                    DEM, pp. 191-207

Oct. 10       Where do babies come from? Explaining fertility changes
                                    "Fertility, Biology, and Behaviour: An Analysis of the Proximate Determinants" (Bongaarts & Potter) (CP)
                                    DEM, pp. 207-226

Oct. 12       Fertility as a social concern: sexual and reproductive health, contraceptives, induced abortion, first sexual intercourse, fertility                   timing, etc.
                                    DEM, pp. 227-234
                                    Coursepack reading from Newsweek magazine (CP)

Oct. 15      More on marriage and cohabitation
                                   DEM, pp. 243-278
                                                    Groups 5 & 6 news essays due

Oct. 17     Wrap up fertility

Oct. 19     Population pyramids, aging and cohorts
                                   DEM, ch. 4

Oct. 22     Migration – historical background, basic concepts
                                   Gill, et al., ch. 4 (CP)
                                   DEM, pp. 287-308

Oct. 24     Migration: (continued)
                                   DEM, pp. 313-318  

Oct. 27     Contemporary concerns about immigration
                                     www.ilw.com -- "Five Myths about Immigration" by D.S. Massey                  

Oct. 29     Migration - theories   +   Discussion and Review
                                  DEM, pp. 308-313

Oct. 31     EXAM 2 – IN CLASS

Nov. 2      HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

Nov. 5     U.S. Immigration -- history and policy
                                  DEM, pp.                                   
                                   Gill, et al., Ch. 18 (CP)

                                   Recommended Web readings: www.prb.org , www.urban.org ,and other sources
                                                  Overview of U.S. immigration history and policy (Close-Up Foundation)    

Nov. 7     Ethnic composition and race
                                     DEM, ch. 11
                                     PRB Report – "America’s Diversity: On the Edge of Two Centuries" (CP)

                                                  Group 9 news essays due
Nov. 9     Ethnic composition and race, continued

Nov. 12     HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

Nov. 14     Demography of Florida -- Historical Background *** GUEST SPEAKER:  Dr. David Colburn  ****
                                       Florida Megatrends (all)

Nov. 16     Demography of Florida and diversity
                                       Skim on-line resources and current Florida population statistics

Week 14

Nov. 19     NO CLASS -- Work on Assignment 2

                      THERE WILL BE NO CLASS THIS WEEK OR ASSIGNED READINGS, BUT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO LISTEN                     TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO SEGMENTS BEFORE NOVEMBER 26.

                      *** REQUIRED:   AUDIO assignment -- Florida Ethnic Diversity and Immigration:

                                  http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/folklife/voices.cfm

                                  - These are 30-minute audio clips prepared for radio broadcast on Florida's ethnic diversity. Please be sure to                                     listen to the following segments:
                                        - South Florida Cuban Community    -http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/folklife/music/cuban_community.wma
                                                  - South Florida Haitian Community   -http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/folklife/music/haitian_community.wma
                                                  - Southeast Asian Communities in Central Florida -
                                                               http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/folklife/music/southeast_asian.wma
                                                  -Tarpon Springs Area Greek Community -http://www.flheritage.com/preservation/folklife/music/tarpon_springs.wma

Nov. 21     NO CLASS -- Work on Assignment 2

Nov. 23     HOLIDAY – NO CLASS

Week 15

                                    "Hypersegregation in the Twenty-First Century" (CP)

Nov. 28      Contemporary racial and ethnic issues
                  The Demographics of Disaster
                                     "Katrina: Demographics of a Disaster." The Urban Institute, Sept. 5, 2005.
                                              http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/900835_katrina_factsheet.pdf

            If you're interested in topics regarding race, urban population issues, and segregation, here are a few suggested readings:
                         W.E.B. DuBois. The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1899/reprinted 1996.
                         W. J. Wilson.  The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy. University of Chicago
                                    Press, 1987.
                         Douglas S. Massey & Nancy A. Denton. American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass.
                                     Harvard University Press. 1993.
                         Collection of links to maps and images of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, before and after Hurricane Katrina.
                                     http://library.uta.edu/guidesBibls/gbHurricaneMapsGIS.jsp
                                     http://www.kirwaninstitute.org/projects/KatrinaNO.htm
                                     See also related articles on the The New York Times web pages and other newspapers.

Nov. 30      Demography of Florida – county and regional concerns
                  Internal migration and Urbanization
                                      DEM, ch. 10 

Week 16

Dec. 3     Aging, economics, and future population concerns
                                    "Global Aging: The Challenge of Success." Kevin Kinsella & David R. Phillips.
                                                        Population Bulletin, March 2005. (CP)                

                                           *** Prepare and bring in at least 5 suggested/expected questions for the final exam.

Dec. 5     Synthesis and Discussion: Social change, aging, and the future
               Summary and Review -- Take Home Final Exam distributed   [Last Day of Classes]

Dec. 10    3:00 pm -- Take Home Exam Due

tkc 11/28/07