Demography & Fam

demography

statistics that measure size & growth of a population

population size affected by birth, death, immigration

1) population generally higher when birth rates are higher than death (low fertility/high morality)

2) immigration = population increase , emigration decrease

have birth & fertility rate inc or decrease?

• fallen since early 20th century

• 2014 - 700,000 (ENG&WALES)

• 1901 - 4. Mil

TFR

average number of children a woman would have if she followed the current fertility rates

2014 - 1.83

TFR peaked post war (baby boomers)

stats to show women having fewer children

1971 - age 24

2013 - age 28

social changes that influenced less children

• contraception readily available

• women’s roles changing

• children expensive, time consuming (couples will spend money in other ways)

• conflict of wsnting successful working life and being a mum

morality & death rates fallen since 1901

• infant mortality rate improved

• adult mortality also fallen

How has medical advancements helped mortality rates ?

• introduction of vaccines, blood transfusions, antibiotics

• better care for pregnant women

• NHS (1948) healthcare free

How have gov improved health improved mortality rates ?

• regulating food & drinking water quality

• laws improved cleanliness

• improved public awareness of how infections are transmitted

Mckeown 2

Better nutrition → fight off infection

HWVR: critics → diseases such as measles rose as nutrition improved

life expectancy

lengthy of time person expected to live. Falling infant mortality largely responsible for this

Outline and explain two ways in which increased life expectancy may have affected the experience of childhood. [10 marks]

P -An ageing population means that grandparents are often now alive at the same time as children

E- this means that they can build stronger relationships and the grandparents can support the child emotionally and financially when parents are not around

E - for example legal and generals value of a parent survey found that grandparents carried out on average £73 a week worth of childcare if paid for

L- therefore this shows that increased life expectancy can positively effect childhood due to increased support

E- However gittens would argue that there is an age patriarchy that keeps children subordinate , controlling them and preventing them from paid work resulting in them becoming economically dependent.

Outline and explain two ways in which increased life expectancy may have affected the experience of childhood. [10 marks]

P- Women are expected to care for the elderly when they are sick therefore they may be less available to care for their children as well

E- this means that parents will not be able to give their full attention on their children and may not be able to provide for them emotionally

E- sue palmer labels modern childhood experiences as a toxic childhood. She points out that there has been an increase in self harm , drug abuse and attempted suicide due to a decline in family and emotional stability as parents are too busy working to care for children.

L- therefore this means that due to the increasing work load for women they have to rely on electronic babysitters for their children such as tv and computers

E- postman argues that Tv blurs the distinction between adulthood and childhood meaning that childhood is becoming less innocent and vulnerable.

UK has an ageing population

• over 65s increasing → ¼ of population expected to be over 65 in 2035

ageing population & burden of care

• society has responsibility to care for vulnerable = burden of care puts pressure on resources

• burden of care shifts to older people in ageing population

• decline of working age people increases dependency ratio - young sturggle to meet needs of old

Hirsch

People will have to work in 60/70s or pay more tax to contribute to cost of healthcare

Griffiths Report

The report looked at long-term care of mentally ill, disabled, older members of society → wanted to make it more efficient

What did the griffiths report do

• care of older people leaving hospital used to be NHS. shifted to local council. movement away of institutionalisation placing people in group homes, hospitals ect towards care in the home

• delivering more health & social care in home has improved independence of okder people who don’t want to live in care homes or don’t need 24h care

Griffiths Report HWVR

• since 2008 financial crisis gov given less money to councils - cut to services

why does ageism increase

• tends to increase in ageing populations→ needs of older people seen as a problem

Townsend

• higher proportion of older people in poverty.

• underclass of pensioners because older people can no longer rely on income from employment

poverty in old age

• people with higher status less likely to be in poverty in old age than working class → more likely to have unemployment and illness during working life

social class in old age

• linked with social class → people with poverty in working class

• less likely to have pensions

Pilcher

class & gender affect income in retirement

women often have smaller pension because they take time away from work to care for children

What is net migration

• Net migration has significantly increased since WW2

• number of people moving into a country minus number moving away

Before WW2 foreign born population in UK was low

• after war, labour shortage, gov encouraged polish soldiers to move to UK

British Nationality Act (1948)

• Easier for citizens of the british commonwealth to settle in the UK

• - resulted in wave of mass immigration

Increase of asylum in 1990s

• In late 1990s war and political conflicts in South africa, Afghanistan, Iraq

• lead to increase in asylum in Uk

• peak 2002 - 84,000

increasing net migration affected structure of society

• the impact of low fertility rate on population size is outweighed by the impact of net migration

migrants decrease

• Migrants decrease average age of country as usually young & working age

• immigration decreases dependency ratio - by increasing number of people able to support vulnerable

migrant fertility rate 3

• fertility rate for mums not born in UK than mums born in UK

• However: Increases dependency ratio as higher population of children BUT only temporary as children of migrants will reach working age → decreases dependency ratio

• Increase of net migration → multifamily household

When does globalisation happen

Globalisation happens when nations become more connected & barriers separating societies broken down

Since the 1990s..

Society had become ethnically diverse

migrants brought different cultures & religions = multicultural society

Eriksen

• Migrants in a globalised world for transnational identities (donot belong to a single country but a network of countries)

• are less likely to assimilate (learn lang/adapt to culture)

• Because no permanent home

• Becomes Political issue - GOV have to decide whether to promote assimilation or accept multiculturalism