MODULE: SS02 – THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

CHAPTER 10 GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHY

At the end of this module, the learners must have:

A. Articulated important terms and concepts related to demography;
B. Evaluated sources of demographic data, elements of demography and
stages of demographic transition and causes of rapid population growth;
C. Assessed impacts of overpopulation to different aspects of society.

GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHY
Demography – The Scientific Study of Population
Since you have successfully listed ideas and
concepts related to demography and population, it is
now the high time to acquire more information about
the topic.
The roots of statistical demography may be
found in the work of the Englishman John Graunt
who was regarded as the founder of demography.
He was one of the first demographers and perhaps
the first epidemiologist, though by profession he was
a haberdasher John Graunt.
In search of statistical regularities, Graunt made an estimate of the male- female ratios at birth
and death-birth ratios in London and rural communities. He was also able to construct the first
mortality table.
Demography is the scientific study of population. It comes from the Greek word demos and
graphone, meaning “measuring people.” A demographer or a person who engaged in social planning,
market research, insurance forecasting, labor market analysis, economic development and so on
conducts studies on human population which is defined as follows: (1) the area of sociology that
includes the size, growth, demographic characteristics, composition, migration, changes and quality
vis-a-vis economic, political and social systems; (2) the number of persons occupying certain
geographic area, drawing subsistence from their habitat and interacting with one another.

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He also communicates population facts using information on birth and death, the basic
elements of life. Demography studies the population’s size, composition and distribution across space
– and the process through which populations change. Births, deaths and migration are the ‘big three’
of demography, jointly producing population stability or change.
For most of the 19th century, demographic studies continued to emphasize the
phenomenon of mortality; it was not until demographers noted that a considerable decline of fertility
had taken place in the industrialized countries during the second half of the 19th century, that they
began to study fertility and reproduction with as much interest as they studied mortality. During the
period between the two world wars, demography took on a broader, interdisciplinary character. In
1928 the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population was founded.

Sources of Demographic Data

1. Census - a census is a population count where the demographic, economic and social data of
every individual of a given time are collected, tabulated, compiled and published. It provides
the statistics of population data for sample surveys and studies and guides the government
and nongovernment administrations in economic and social planning.
2. Vital Statistics System – refers to events that deal with an individual’s life from birth to death
and those in between, such as marriage annulment, adoption, separation, divorce and other
events and changes in his/her status.
3. Sample Surveys – conducted by private and public institutions to obtain data and information
on matters not covered by the census or vital statistics system.

Elements of Demography
1. Birth rate – the yearly count of live births per 1000 population; gives data on a
society’s reproductive patterns.
2. Total fertility rate – the average count of children conceived; can project a society’s future
population growth.
3. Death rate - the yearly count of deaths per 1000 population; gives data on a society’s
mortality patterns.
4. Life expectancy – the average number of years a person is expected to live.
5. Growth rate – differences between births and deaths plus the differences between
immigrants and emigrants per 1000 population.

Global Demographic Transition

Demographic transition pertains to an observed pattern in changing vital statistics
(birth rate and death rate).

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Stages of Demographic Transition

1. Pre-transition Stage – is the first stage of demographic transition which occurred in the 18th
century. It is characterized by high birth and death rates with minimal population growth.
2. Transition Stage – is the second stage which took place in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
It was the stage of declining death rate and the era of the Industrial revolution and population
explosion.
3. Post-transition stage – is the third stage which took place in the late 19th century. It is
characterized by low birth and death rates with minimal population growth.

After World War II, another demographic transition occurred with Asia, Africa and Latin
America experiencing population explosion. There was “baby boom” in the developing countries and
in the West. During this stage, there was increase in food production as a result of “Green
Revolution” and improved public health care. Infant mortality declined and life expectancy increased.

Figure 4

The global demographic transition began in the nineteenth century in the now
economically developed parts of the world (the North) with declines in death rates. Large reductions
in birth rates followed in the early part of the twentieth century. These transitions are now more or
less complete. But, as shown in Table 1, trends for the two principal regions in the North are expected
to diverge between 2005 and 2050: an increase from 0.33 to 0.45 billion in Northern America, and a
decline from 0.73 to 0.66 billion in Europe. In fact, several countries in Europe (e.g. Russia) and East
Asia (e.g. Japan) face significant population declines as birth rates have fallen below death rates.
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Causes of Rapid Population Growth

Population change in a country is caused by three basic components: birth, death and
migration. Birth rate is the ratio between births and individuals in a specified population and
time. It is directly affected by fertility which refers to the actual number of children born to a
woman or group of women. If high fertility is not matched with mortality, overpopulation is
bound to happen.
On the other hand, the ratio between deaths and individuals in a specified population
and time is known as death rate. A decline in mortality and a more stable birth rate means a
rise in population.Migration which is another cause of population growth refers to the
movement of people from one place to another with the intention of finding a permanent
residence.It was observed that most people migrate because of economic reasons. A person
usually leaves his locality to look for a better and higher paying job that would improve his
economic status.

The Perils of Overpopulation

Urbanization and industrialization are
considered by development planners as
indicators of a developing society but they
disagree on the role of population growth or
decline in modernization.
A British scholar, Thomas Malthus,
wrote “An Essay on the Principle of
Population” in 1798, where he warned that
population growth will inevitably exhaust world
food supply by the middle of 19th
century.Malthus’ prediction was off base but in
1960s,an American biologist, Paul R. Ehrlich.
and his wife Anne, revived it when they wrote
“The Population Bomb,’ which argued that
overpopulation in the 1970s and the 1980s will bring about global environmental disasters that would
lead to food shortage and mass starvation. In addition, they proposed that United States should work
on reducing the population growth rate to zero by taking the lead in the promotion of global population
control through chemical castration, through implementation of policy that would demand tax for an
additional child and luxury tax on child-related products, giving of monetary incentives to men who
would agree to be sterilized after two children and by building a powerful Department of Population
and Environment. The global population increase was at its height at 1.8% per year between 1955
and 1975, peaking at 2.06 percent annual growth rate between 1965 to 1970. This happened when
nations were finally able to recover from the devastations brought by the World War II. The argument
which states that “by limiting the population, vital resources could be used for economic progress and

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not to feed more mouths” became the government’s basis for “population control” programs
worldwide.

Population Growth and Food Security

It is estimated that by 2050, global population will reach 9.5 billion and will increase to
11.2 billion by 2100. Ninety-five percent of this population growth will happen in the developing
countries, with demographers predicting that by middle of this century, several countries will
have tripled their population. Considering the given scenario, feeding the population will be an
immense challenge.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that for the countries to mitigate
the impact of population growth, food production must be increased by 70%. FAO also
recommends that countries increase their investments in agriculture, craft long-term policies
aimed at fighting poverty and invest in research and development.
The United Nations (UN) also suggests that countries develop a comprehensive social
service program that includes food assistance, consistent delivery of health services and
education especially for the poor.

Interesting facts about Philippine Population:

* The current population of the Philippines is 109,698,807 as August 1, 2020, based on Worldometer
elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
* The Philippines 2020 population is estimated at 109,581,078 people at mid-year according to UN
data.
* The Philippines population is equivalent to 1.41% of the total world population.
* The Philippines ranks number 13 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
* The population density in the Philippines is 368 per Km2 (952 people per mi2).
* The total land area is 298,170 Km2 (115,124 sq. miles)
* 47.5 % of the population is urban (52,008,603 people in 2020)
* The median age in the Philippines is 25.7 years

GLOBAL MIGRATION
What is Migration?
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another with the intention of finding a
permanent residence. Though the main factor for migration of people is economic consideration,
demographers also identified the push and pull factors. The push factor means that people are
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pushed away from their homes due to natural calamities such as floods, famine, loss of jobs or
political oppression. The pull factors are those reasons which invite people to a place due to
promising and extensive opportunities for a better life.

Two (2) Types of Migration

There are two types of migration. First is internal migration which refers to the people moving
from one area t another within one country while the other type is known as international migration
where people cross borders of one country to another like:
a. those who move permanently to another country (immigrants);
b. workers who stay in another country for a fixed period (at least 6 months in a year);
c. illegal immigrants;
d. migrants whose family members have petitioned them to move to the destination
country; and
e. refugees and vagabonds or those who are “unable or unwilling to return because of a well-
founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social
group or political opinion.”
Demographers estimate that 247 million people are currently living outside the countries of
their birth. Ninety percent (90) of them moved for economic reasons while the remaining ten (10)
percent were refugees and asylum-seekers. The top three (3) regions of origin are Latin America (18
percent of the global total), followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia (16 percent), and the Middle
East and North Africa (14 percent). On a per country basis, India, Mexico and China are leading,
with Philippines, together with Afghanistan, ranking 6th in the world. The top 10 country destinations
of these migrants are mainly in the West and the Middle East, with the United States topping the list.
Fifty percent (50% ) of global migrants have moved from the developing countries to the
developed zones of the world and contribute from 40 to 80 percent of their labor force.

Benefits and Detriments for the Sending Countries

Even if 90 percent of the value generated by migrant workers remains in their host
countries, they have sent billions back to their home countries. Remittances make significant
contributions to the development of small and medium-term industries that help generate jobs. It
likewise changes the economic and social standing of migrants as shown by new or renovated homes
and their relatives’ access to new consumer goods. The purchasing power of the migrant’s family
doubled and makes it possible for their children to start or continue schooling.

On the other hand, global migration may result to “siphoning” qualified personnel and
removing dynamic, young workers or often been referred to as “brain drain.” Furthermore, the loss of

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professionals in certain key roles, such as doctors and nurses, has been detrimental to the migrant’s
home countries.
In 2006, some 15% of locally trained doctors from 21 sub-Saharan African countries have
emigrated to the United States or Canada.

In line with this, there are many restrictions for labor migration and many of these are related to
the Westphalian conception of the nation-state. According to Shamir (2005), the loss of the part of a
country’s workforce is one of the major reasons for the state to control migration. He added that
conflicts between local residents and migrants may surface due to influx of migrants. Moses (2006)
another concern of the state in regulating migration is terrorism.Governments are aware of this long-
term handicap, but have no choice but to continue promoting migrant work as part of state policy
because of the remittances’ impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Problem on Human Trafficking

Human trafficking, another – often times involuntary – form of migration, is an important
international issue. The UN defines human trafficking as, “the recruitment, transportation, transfer,
harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of
abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving
or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another
person, for the purpose of exploitation.” (UNODC.org)

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation listed human trafficking as the third largest
criminal activity worldwide. In 2012, the international Labour Organization (ILO) identified 21
million men, women and children as victims of forced labor, an appalling three (3) out of every 1,000
persons worldwide. Ninety percent of the victims (18.7 million) are exploited by private enterprises
and entrepreneurs; 22 percent (4.5 million) are sexually abused; and 68 percent (14.2 million) work
under compulsion in agricultural, manufacturing, infrastructure and domestic activities. Human
trafficking has been very profitable, earning syndicates, smugglers, and corrupt state officials profits
of as high as $150 billion a year in 2014. Governments, the private sector and civil society groups
have worked together to combat human trafficking, yet the results remain uneven.

Integration
Integration is the final issue as to how migrants interact with their new home countries.
Migrants unwittingly reinforce the tension by “keeping among themselves.” The first-time migrant’s
anxiety at coming into a new and often “strange” place is mitigated by “local networks of fellow
citizens’ that serve as the migrant’s safety net from the dislocation of uprooting oneself.

Democratic states assimilate immigrants and their children by granting them citizenship and
the rights that go with it (especially public education). However, without a solid support from their
citizens may just be a formality. Linguistic difficulties, customs from the “old country” and of late
differing religions may create cleavages between migrants and citizens of receiving countries,
particularly in the West.

Governments and private businesses have made policy changes to address integration
problems, like using multiple languages in state documents (in the case of the United States,
Spanish and English). Training programs complemented with counselling have complemented

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with counselling have also helped migrant integration in Hamburg, Germany, while retail merchants in
Barcelona have bought in migrant shopkeepers to breakdown language barriers while introducing
Chinese culture to citizens.
Citizenship
Citizenship is the status of a person recognized under the custom or law of a sovereign state
as a member of or belonging to the state. Each state is free to determine the conditions under which it
will recognize persons as its citizens, and the conditions under which that status will be withdrawn.
Recognition by a state as a citizen generally carries with it recognition of civil, political, and social
rights which are not afforded to non-citizens.
In general, the basic rights normally regarded as arising from citizenship are the right to a
passport, the right to leave and return to the country/ies of citizenship, the right to live in that country
and to work there.Some countries permit their citizens to have multiple citizenships, while others
insist on exclusive allegiance. A person who does not have citizenship of any state is said to be
stateless, while one who lives on state borders whose territorial status is uncertain is a border-
lander.Nationality is often used as a synonym for citizenship in English although the term is mainly –
notably in international law – understood as denoting a person's membership of a nation (a large
ethnic group).

Transnationalism
The heightened interconnectivity between people and the receding economic and social
significance of boundaries between nation states paved way to a scholarly research agenda and
social phenomenon known as transnationalism, a term popularized by the writer Randolph Bourne in
the early 20th century to describe about relationships between cultures.
With the aim of reducing costs, transnationalism as an economic process, led to the global
reorganization of the production process, in which various stages of the production of any product can
occur in various countries.
It was in the latter half of the 20th century by the development of the internet and wireless
communication, when economic transnationalism, commonly known as globalization, spurred.
During this time, there was also a reduction in global transportation costs caused by
containerization. Multinational corporations are considered as a form of transnationalism.
Multinational corporations seek to minimize costs, and hence maximize profits, by organizing their
operations in the most efficient means possible irrespective of political boundaries. Transnationalism
is a part of the process of capitalist globalization for its concept refers to multiple links and
interactions between and among people and institutions across the borders of nation- states.

What is a Global Citizen?

According to Oxfam, a Global Citizen is someone who:\
• is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen.

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• respects and values diversity.

• has an understanding of how the world works.

• is outraged by social injustice.

• participates in the community at a range of levels, from the local to the global.

• is willing to act to make the world a more equitable and sustainable place.

• takes responsibility for their actions.

To be an effective Global Citizen, one must be flexible, creative and proactive. He/she needs to
be able to solve problems, make decisions, think critically, communicate ideas effectively and
work well within teams and groups. These skills and attributes are increasingly recognised as being
essential to succeed in other areas of 21st century life.

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Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsBT5EQt348
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVkY1FzyNik
References:
Vanham, P. (2019), A brief History of Globalization. Retrieved from
4-0-fits-into-the-history-of- globalization/August 18,2020

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