FAMILY Topic 4 - Demography

• The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children born to women during their reproductive years.
• The changes in the fertility and birth rate reflect that women are postponing having children.
• Reasons for the decline in the birth rate:

  One reason is the changes in womens position. This is due to women being in employment and also they have easier access to divorce.
• Harper - Says that the reason for a fall in fertility rates is due to education of women.
• Smaller families are the norm whilst larger families are seen as unacceptable.
• Another reason for the decline in the birth rate is due to:

  The decline in the infant mortality rate.

  Harper - Decline in the IMR leads to the decline of BR due to parents replacing the children that they have lost due to death through more children.
• During the first 1/2 of 20th century - IMR fell in the UK due to:

  • Better nutrition, hygiene, housing and sanitation
  • Improved services for mothers e.g postnatal clinics
  • Medical factors through childhood diseases e.g measles stopped
• Another reason for the decline in the birth rate is due to:

  Children are an economic liability.

  • Until late 19th century, children were seen as economic assets to their parents. There are laws to ban child labour.
• One reason for decline in death rate is improved nutrition.

  • Mckeown- This has reduced the number of deaths from TB. However, he fails to explain why death through measles has increased when improving nutrition.
• Another reason for decline in death rate is medical improvements.

  • Immunisation, improved maternity services and bypass surgery had reduced deaths.
• Another reason for decline in death rate is public health measures.

  • Improved quality of environment e.g pasteurisation of milk.
• The ageing population: It is caused by 3 factors:

  • Increased life expectancy as people are living longer into old age.
  • Declining infant mortality as nowadays, hardly anyone dies early.
  • Declining fertility as fewer young people are being born.
• Ageism, modernity & postmodernity:

  Ageism- Negative stereotyping of people depending on their age.

  Modern society and age- Old people are excluded from paid work and this makes them dependent on families. They have a stigmatised identity.
• Age is important in role allocation. This is because it creates fixed life stages e.g worker and pensioner.
• Marxist perspective:

  Phillipson- the old are of to no use to capitalism because they are no longer productive. The state does not provide for them so family and relatives assist them.
• Postmodern society and old age:

  Postmodernists believe that in today's society, the fixed stages of life has broken down. E.g children dressing as adults, early retirement.
• Unlike modern society, consumption not production becomes the key to our identities and we can define ourselves by what we consume.

  • Hunt (2005) - this means we can choose a lifestyle regardless of age so our age does not determine who we are.
• Inequality among the old:

  Pilcher (1995) - inequalities such as class and gender are important.

  • Class: Middle class have better chances and grated savings from higher salaries. Poorer old people have a shorter life expectancy.
  • Gender: Women's lower earnings mean lower pensions. They are exposed to sexist and ageist stereotyping.