demography

• demography

  Demography illustrates the changing nature of the population through statistics. This helps us understand society better, can help us identify social issues easier.
• population trends

  The population has increased and continues to grow in Britain over the past 100 years.
• natural change

  number of births - number of deaths
• net migration

  number of immigrants - number of emigrants
• birth rate

  Number of live births per 1000 people in the population per year. Birth rates have dropped because of parents being child centred, a change in values and economic reasons.
• old age in modernity

  Old people are clearly old. Life phases are clearly structured.

  Phillipson - old people are no use to capitalism.
• postmodernity

  Age is not a fixed status. Old age has become a market for people - Hunt said you define yourself by what you consume.
• immigration

  Permanently moving to a foreign country.
• emmigration

  Leaving your country to move to another.
• hybrid identity

  Fusion of 2+ types of identity.
• assimilation

  The minority culture gives up their identity and takes the identity of the majority culture.
• globalisation

  Interconnection of the world. This is in terms of time and space and is done through technology.
• timeline of immigration to the UK

  Post WW2 - largest group of Irish immigrants mainly for economic reasons.

  1950s - black immigrants from the Caribbean to the UK.

  1960s-1970s - South Asian immigrants to the UK.

  By 2011 ethnic minorities = 14% of the UK population.

  After 2019, there was decreased immigration because of Brexit.
• impact of immigration on the individual

  Hybrid identities; hierarchical identities; transitional identities.
• impact of immigration on society

  Dependency ratio; household structure/ family diversity; policies (assimilation).
• Cohen

  There are differences because of migrants class:

  citizens = people who have full citizen rights and normally have more money.

  denizens = privileged foreign nationals that are welcomed by the state.

  Helats = these are exploited, the state sees them as disposable labour.
• change in the position of women

  -dual-earner family, more money spent on children.

  -women now have better education.

  -women delay having children.

  -women are more independent.
• decline in stigma

  -children are seen as separate.

  -women are seen as workers.

  -not having children is now accepted.

  -divorce is seen as normal and valid.
• birth rates changing - theories perspective

  functionalists: decrease in birth rate is bad, a function of the family is reproduction and without it the nuclear family will decrease.

  feminists: decrease in birth rates is good, women are gaining freedom.

  new right: working class having less children is good as less money will be given to them.

  marxists: decrease in birth rates are good as there are less proletariat to be exploited by the bourgeoisie.
• dependency ratio - theories perspective

  functionalists: dependency ratio is bad as people have to focus on caring for the old and not socialising children.

  feminists: this is bad. Women are forced to look after children and old people.

  new right: an increased dependency ratio is bad. More money is having to be given to people (older people).

  marxists: an increase in the dependency ratio further oppresses the working class/ proletariat.
• fall in infant mortality

  People are having less children as the children are living longer. This view is ethnocentric.
• children are an economic liability

  Children cost a lot of money and are no longer an economic asset.
• effects of a falling birth rate

  -dependency ratio/culture is created
• aging population

  The average age is higher than it has been before. Less children are being born which means there are more old people in the world.
• death rate

  Number of people per 1000 in the population that die every year.
• how has life expectancy increased?

  -incomes: higher incomes = healthier food, longer life.

  -medicines: medical improvements decrease the number of people dying.

  -rules against smoking: people can smoke in less places which stops people smoking all the time.

  -vaccines: more people are vaccinated, people are protected from illnesses which reduces death.