POPULATION ANALYSIS AND PROBLEMS
SOCIOLOGY 4347, FALL 2004
PROFESSOR: CHERYL HOWARD, PH.D.
OFFICE: OLD MAIN 302
OFFICE HOURS: MW 9:30-10:30 TR 9:00-10:00 OR BY APPOINTMENT
PHONE: 747-6530 E-MAIL: choward@utep.edu
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
Through readings, discussions, guest speakers, films, community and data collection
projects, we will explore the causes and consequences of the three major demographic
processes—fertility, mortality and migration. Students will acquire basic and advanced
demographic skills as they relate to actual research. The course will be designed to
accommodate existing interests of students, and to encourage further exploration in the
field of demography. Emphasis will be placed on demographic concerns specific to this
geographic region.
TEXTS:
Demography: The Science of Population by Jay Weinstein and Vijayan Pillai.
www.window.state.tx.us/border/border.html Bordering the Future: Challenge and
Opportunity in the Texas Border Region.
www.census.gov (website for U.S. census information)
www.inegi.gob.mx (website for Mexico census information)
www.cdc.gov/nchshome.htm (website for U.S. vital statistics information)
www.public.asu.edu/~mjones4/elpdem.html (a website developed by a former
student, especially for this class)
EXAMINATION: There will be an in-class midterm (short answer/short essay), worth
25% of your final grade. The midterm will be October 25.
CLASS ATTENDANCE, PREPARATION AND PARTICIPATION: Because this
will be a relatively small, upper-division class, I expect each and every one of you to
actively participate in class discussions. Of course it will be difficult for you to
participate if you are not in class…so I expect regular attendance. I also expect you to
have done the readings before class so that discussions will be productive. 25% of final
grade.
HOMEWORK: Each chapter in your text has a Doing Demography section. You will
be responsible for doing one (see attached list of choices) exercise for each chapter
(except one) These will not be graded per se, but as a check, a check plus or check minus,
depending on the amount of effort you expend. These exercises will be due on Mondays.
On Fridays each student will bring something to class from one of the websites listed at
the end of the chapters for discussion. 25% of final grade.
FINAL PROJECT: As we discussed in class, there will be a final individual project, a
power point presentation about some demographic topic pertinent to this region. We will
schedule a time to learn power point in the LACIT lab. 25% of final grade.
Week 1: Chapter 1, DD 1-4
Week 2: Chapter 2, DD 3
Week 3: Chapter 3, DD 1-3
Week 4: Chapter 4, DD 1 or 2
Week 5: Chapter 5, DD 1-4
Week 6: Chapter 6, DD 1-3
Week 7: Chapter 7, DD 1-3
Week 8: Chapter 8, DD 1,3,4
Week 9: Chapter 9, DD 1-3
Week 10: Midterm, Chapter 10
Week 11: Chapter 11, DD 1-4
Week 12: Chapter 12, DD 2 (change Great Lakes to Rio Grande)
Week 13: Chapter 13, DD 1
Weeks 14-16: preparation for final projects
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
1/14
1/16
Introduction; HW: El Paso County Facts from Census web page
Census Methodology; HW: Haub and Cleland articles
1/21
1/23
Discuss Haub and Cleland articles
Bonilla-Silva talk on racism; HW: Peterson and Kefitz articles
1/28
1/30
Discuss Peterson and Kefitz articles; HW: Olshanksy & Ault
Discuss Olshanksy & Ault article
2/4
2/6
Guest Lecture: TBA; HW: Manton & Singer
Discuss Manton & Singer article
2/11
2/13
lecture: “Making ¢ of El Paso” HW: Kibirge and Caldwells
discuss Kibirge and Caldwells articles; HW: Perls & Fretts
2/18
2/20
discuss Perls & Frets; HW: Wilkinson
discuss Wilkinson; HW: Bongaarts & Potter
2/25
2/27
discuss Bongaarts & Potter
review for midterm
3/4
3/6
Midterm Exam
film: “China’s Only Child ”
3/11
3/13
oral presentations
oral presentations
3/25
3/27
oral presentations; HW: Davis and Caldwell articles
discuss Davis and Caldwell articles; HW: Lesthaeghe & Folbre
4/1
4/3
discuss Lethaeghe & Folbre articles; HW: Day and Robey articles
discuss Day and Robey articles; HW: Coale and Peterson articles
4/8
4/10
discuss Coale and Peterson articles; HW: Zelinsky and McGee
discuss Zelinsky and McGee articles; HW: Castles and Massey
4/15
4/17
lecture: migration principles and practices
discuss migration articles; HW: Freeman and Potts
4/22
4/24
discuss Freeman and Potts; HW: class selected readings
guest speaker
4/29
5/1
class selected readings
class selected readings