University of Warwick
Department of Sociology
2011/12
SO 326:
POPULATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE
Tutor: Richard Lampard
Reading List/MODULE OUTLINE
Note that additional references (for the various weekly topics) can be found online within the module’s web pages, which can be accessed via the University/Sociology Department’s website, or via the specific address:
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/so326/
This long reading list reflects my intention to include an extensive range of relevant material (to a large extent for essay-writing purposes). I have attempted to list the items within each topic in declining order of importance. (Where I have divided the material between sub-sections, I have instead done this within each sub-section). However, recent material that has been added a relatively long way down a list of items may still be quite valuable! (In addition, the lists are sometimes organised in ‘clusters’, rather than in declining order of relevance). Items with asterisks (*) are particularly relevant; in addition, other important readings will be highlighted by the lecture/seminar handouts. Further material has been ‘relegated’ to a list on the module’s web pages; this material may be worth having a look at when you write class and/or assessed essays. Note that there are additional references for some weeks at the end of this reading list!!
My advice is to ‘trawl’ the main reading list reasonably widely, since different items often cover different aspects of the same topic. While some items coincide neatly with the slant on a particular topic which is taken within the module, or with the specific focus of an essay title, other items are of more general (and perhaps occasionally rather limited!) relevance. In addition, there is sometimes quite a substantial degree of overlap between the issues covered by two notionally different topics, which means that an item of material on this reading list under one topic heading may well also be relevant to other, related topics. Some of the material listed on this reading list is quite technically sophisticated. If faced with something that you don’t feel that you can understand fully or precisely, you should try to get the gist of what is being said, and not worry too much about the detail. This may be particularly likely to happen with the more statistically sophisticated material; remember that many experienced academics reading such items also have to concentrate on the introduction, conclusion or discussion, etc.!
Some of the items in this reading list are in locations such as the Statistics and Official Publications sections on the 4th Floor of the Library, in which case they may not be visible within the online Library catalogue (although its coverage of such material has improved.) Various items of reading for the module are now available as online scanned ‘Course Extracts’, accessible via the Library’s web pages. These are indicated by a chapter number in bold (e.g. [Ch. 3]), or an author’s name in bold. A range of extracts from the books, articles, etc., listed in this reading list are also available as Short Loan Collection (SLC) Photocopies; the number of these is declining as more online material becomes accessible. These photocopies can be listed via a Library catalogue author search using the convenor’s surname (Lampard). (N.B. A small proportion of the SLC Photocopies thus listed relate to other modules). Make sure that you check via the Library catalogue if a particular photocopy has been put in the Store, if so, it can be retrieved for you on request. At the time of writing (3/10/2011), SLC Photocopies not in the Store can be accessed via the Library Helpdesk.
The lecture is on Tuesday at 1 pm - 2 pm (Room P5.21, Science Block)
The seminar times are Monday at 10 am - 11 am (Room S2.81, Social Studies)
Monday at 12 noon - 1 pm (Room S0.08, Social Studies)
Monday at 1 pm - 2 pm (Room S2.81, Social Studies)
Richard Lampard’s office is in the Ramphal Building (Top floor: R3.29A). He can also be contacted via: , his pigeonhole (in R2.17A) or Extn. 23130.
Assessment: This can take three alternative forms:
(a) a three-hour examination, in which students answer three essay questions.
(b) a two-hour examination, in which students answer two essay questions, plus one 3,000 word assessed essay, to be submitted on Tuesday 24 April in Week 1 of Term 3
(c) two 3,000 word assessed essays, the first to be submitted on Tuesday 13 March in Week 10 of Term 2 and the second on Tuesday 24 April in Week 1 of Term 3
(For a description of the consequences of exceeding the maximum word length of 3,000 words, see the Department’s Undergraduate Student Handbook.)
Assessed essays should be submitted electronically, and then manually to the Sociology Undergraduate Secretary in the Sociology Reception Area, by 2pm on the specified date. Late submission where no formal extension has been granted (via the relevant form located within the Undergraduate Study section of the Department’s web pages) will incur a penalty of 5 marks per day deduction from the mark awarded.
More specific arrangements will be made for any visiting students who are attending the module for less than the full academic year.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should have...
Subject knowledge and understanding
· A knowledge and understanding of a range of demographic and sociological issues relating to various ‘life-events’
· In particular, a knowledge of some key issues relating to British historical demography, marriage and family change in contemporary Britain, and demographic change in ‘less-developed’ countries
· A basic knowledge of some key demographic measures
· An awareness of links between demographic issues/change and other areas of study such as gender, work, development, social theory and social policy
· An awareness of both the interdisciplinary nature and distinctive aspects/characteristics of the field of demography
· An understanding of the complementary roles of cultural factors, economic factors and a range of other factors in demographic explanation
Cognitive Skills
· An awareness of the value and limitations of both quantitative data and qualitative data with respect to the above issues/events
· An awareness of both the technical and theoretical/conceptual dimensions of demographic research
Key Skills; Subject-Specific/Professional Skills
· The ability to draw appropriately upon relevant substantive, empirical and theoretical conceptual material within a coherent and accurate discussion relating to a demographic topic
· The ability to interpret published demographic research competently and with an appropriate degree of caution
· A recognition of the importance of published, empirically-based journal articles to academic work in social demography
Learning and teaching methods which enable students to achieve the module's learning outcomes
(a) 18 one-hour lectures: an introductory lecture, followed by lectures on a range of substantive topics
(b) 2 one-hour workshops on demographic measures
(c) 18 one-hour seminars, in which students typically discuss the above lecture topics with reference to specified preparatory reading and questions
(d) Students write (at least) two class essays (of approximately 1,500 words) in relation to which they receive both qualitative feedback and a quantitative mark, but which are not formally assessed and which do not contribute (directly) to the final module mark.
(e) Students access learning materials in the library and via the module website/online.
(f) Revision seminars are held during the first few weeks of the third term.
(g) Individual advice, tuition and essay-related support are available during the tutor’s office hours or by appointment (and also via e-mail).
Assessment methods designed to measure the achievement of the module's learning outcomes
Students are assessed one or both of the following methods:
(a) a two or three-hour unseen examination in which they answer an equivalent number of essay questions, each of which corresponds to a topic covered by one of the lectures
(b) one or two assessed essays of 3,000 words (maximum length). The essays on the list provided to students for the most part draw upon a number of the topics covered by different weeks of the module, though students can negotiate a more focussed title for one essay.
Assessment of the examination answers and assessed essays is based on the following criteria:
· Presentation of written work, including spelling and grammar
· Structure of written work, and its fluency, clarity and maturity
· Range/relevance/precision of knowledge displayed in relation to the given topic
· Quality and soundness of argument
· Competence in interpretation and application of research findings
· Quality/sophistication of linkages between data and substantive/theoretical ideas
· Breadth and accuracy of knowledge with respect to demographic issues
· Independence of thought/critical awareness/sociological insight within analyses
All the learning outcomes for this module are reflected in the learning and teaching methods employed, and the assessment methods measure the students’ achievements across the full range of learning outcomes.
Assessment of seminar performance/transferable skills
Students’ performance in seminars and their achievement of transferable skills are assessed as part of the Department’s review of student progress. This assessment does not enter into the final mark for the module. Aspects of student performance relevant to most or all modules include: writing skills (measured via the assessment of class essays), oral skills (measured with regard to seminar participation), time management skills (measured with regard to seminar attendance and preparation), and research skills (measured with regard to use of the library and IT resources). With regard to this specific module, students are expected to enhance all or most of the transferable skills listed above. Students who do not miss any sessions without appropriate explanation, participate actively within seminars as and when required, and carry out set tasks outside the scheduled sessions adequately will be deemed, at the very least, to be making satisfactory progress.
WEEKS 1 & 2: INTRODUCTION/DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND METHODS
Introductions & Key Texts: Each of the following texts/sections of texts is a good introduction to, or overview of, ideas relating to one or more important module themes:
Tranter, N.L. 1996. British Population in the Twentieth Century. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Jackson, S. 1998. Britain’s Population: Demographic Issues in Contemporary Society. London: Routledge.
Coleman, D. and Salt, J. 1992. The British Population: Patterns, Trends and Processes. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chapter 1, pp1-34].
Joshi, H. (ed.) 1989. The Changing Population of Britain. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. [Ch. 1].
Livi-Bacci, M. 2006. A Concise History of World Population (4th edition). Oxford: Blackwell. [Earlier editions are still of relevance].
Daugherty, H. and Kammeyer, K. 1995. An Introduction to Population (2nd edition). Harlow: Longman.
Jones, H. 1990. Population Geography (2nd edition). London: Paul Chapman. [Ch. 1].
McConway, K. 2001. Studying Health and Disease (2nd edition). Buckingham: Open University Press. [Chapter on demography and epidemiology; also in 1st edition (1994)].
Scott, J., Treas, J. and Richards, M. (eds) 2003. The Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Families. Oxford: Blackwell. [Chapters by Kiernan and by Beck and Beck-Gernsheim].
Clark, D. (ed.) 1991. Marriage, Domestic Life and Social Change. London: Routledge. [Part II: Chapter by Elliott].
Halsey, A.H. and Webb, J. (eds) 2000. Twentieth-Century British Social Trends (3rd Edition). Basingstoke: Macmillan. [Ch. 2 by Coleman: ‘Population and Family’; pp27-93.]
Matheson, J. 2009. ‘National Statistician's Annual Article on the Population: a Demographic Review’, Population Trends 138: 7-21.
ONS. 2005. ‘The UK population at the start of the 21st century’, Population Trends 122: 7-17.
Halsey, A.H. and Runciman, W.G. (eds) 2005. British Sociology Seen from Without and Within. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Demography chapter].
Caldwell, J.C. 1996. ‘Demography and Social Science’, Population Studies 50.3: 305-333.
Shreeniwas, S. 1994. ‘Population in its social context’, International Social Science Journal 140: 257-275.
Ní Bhrolcháin, M. and Dyson, T. 2007. ‘On Causation in Demography: Issues and Illustrations’, Population and Development Review 33.1: 1–36.
Methods/reference: The following texts can be used as sources of reference on various rates, ratios, life tables, standardisation, etc. (The Pressat / Wilson reference is a good place to turn to if you are faced with terminology that you don’t understand):
Rowland, D.T. 2003. Demographic Methods and Concepts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pressat, R./Wilson, C. (ed.) 1985. The Dictionary of Demography. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Jones, H. 1990. Population Geography (2nd edition). London: Paul Chapman. [First few pages of some of the chapters].
Newell, C. 1988. Methods and Models in Demography. London: Belhaven.
Daugherty, H. and Kammeyer, K. 1995. An Introduction to Population (2nd edition). Harlow: Longman.
Pressat, R. 1978. Statistical Demography. London: Methuen.
Pollard, A., Yusuf, F. and Pollard, G. 1974. Demographic Techniques. New South Wales: Pergamon Press.
Hinde, A. 1998. Demographic Methods. London: Arnold.
Swanson, D.A. and Siegel, J.S. (eds) 2003. The Methods and Materials of Demography (2nd edition). Elsevier.
Gray, A. (ed.) 1993. World Health and Disease. Buckingham: Open University Press. [Ch. 2].
Various. 1997. ‘Qualitative Methods in Population Studies: A Symposium’, Population and Development Review 23.4: 813-853.
Journals: In addition to the OPCS (now ONS) journal Population Trends, other relevant journals subscribed to by the library include Population and Development Review, Population Studies, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Journal of Biosocial Science, Journal of Family History, Population (in French) and Continuity and Change (Historical). The influential North American journal Demography is available online, as are the European Journal of Population and Demographic Research (an electronic journal). The American Sociological Review and American Journal of Sociology also often contain demographically-orientated articles.
Historical data/sources: The following contain discussions of the data sources and methodological issues relevant to historical demography:
Tranter, N. 1985. Population and Society 1750-1940. Harlow: Longman. [Chapter 1].
Mitchison, R. 1977. British Population Change since 1860. London: Macmillan. [Chapter 1].
Tranter, N. 1973. Population since the Industrial Revolution: the case of England and Wales. London: Croom Helm. [Chapter 1].
Anderson, M. 1988. Population Change in North-Western Europe, 1750-1850. London: Macmillan. [Chapter 2].
Demographic resources on 4th floor of library (Section 41/H):