LibGuides: SOC-3010 Global Civics: Week 3 Resources

Week 3 Resources

Review the resources listed below to prepare for this week’s assignments. The resources may include textbook reading assignments, journal articles, websites, links to tools or software, videos, handouts, rubrics, etc.

World Population - Population Games

This website provides three tabs, All About Population, Population Games, and World Population. Take time to explore each one. Listen to the videos, read the information, and have fun playing the games. This website will provide you with a broad overview of the issues associated with population.

World Population - Population Games

World population - Population games - Ined - Institute national demographic studies. (2020). https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/population-games/the-world-population/

Overpopulation or Over consumption?

The following video explores the different populations of the global population. As you watch this video, consider the perspectives as they relate to different populations around the world. Are all countries the same?

NV atCEPImperial (2017, Aug 4). Overpopulation or overconsumption? [video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/HrEimAzxYzo

Editor’s Introduction: Is Overpopulation a Problem? Multiple Perspectives on this Perennial Question

In the Editor’s Introduction article, the author discusses the debate of what overpopulation and attempts to control population entail. Efforts to address population growth can often also come with limits on personal freedoms. As you read this article, think about your own views and how you think this problem should be addressed.

Editor’s Introduction: Is Overpopulation a Problem? Multiple Perspectives on this Perennial Question The world population was 7.7 billion in 2019, and the United Nations projects 9.7 billion in its medium-variant scenario, which assumes that world fertility continues to decline (from 2.5 children per woman in 2019 to 2.2 in 2050), and only 8.9 billion in its low-variant scenario in which fertility would decline even faster. Unless the entire world is hit by severe disasters on an unprecedented scale, it is difficult to imagine a world population much below 9 billion by 2050.

Editors Introduction: Is overpopulation a problem? Multiple perspectives on this perennial question. (2016). American Journal of Economics & Sociology, 75(4), 843-861. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&direct=true&db=bth&AN=117924450&site=eds-live

Overpopulation in India

In the following article, you will explore issues associated with population and gain a better understanding of why this is a global issue. The country of India presents a model of the effects of overpopulation and high population density. This article describes the observed effects presently seen, such as scarcity of food and clean water, unemployment, poverty, and other factors.

Overpopulation in India Human overpopulation has various effects most of which are negative. The direct negative effects are mainly scarcity of food, scarcity of fresh water, unemployment, poverty, misuse of resources, deforestation etc. Similarly there are various indirect effect like increase in greenhouse gases, cutting hills, ozone layer deplation and global warming which occurs mainly due to human activities. The problem of overpopulation become a serious threat to our own existence and therefore it is a global problem. Developing countries like India, China, Brazil etc are facing tremendous problem due to increase in human population. The impacts of overpopulation are not only on the environment but it also affect the socio- economic condition of these countries. India ranked third in emitting Carbon Di Oxide gas contributing 6.8% of global emission as per world economic forum 2019. Several policies and planning are being used to control population explosion by the government like family planning and reproductive health programmes for women, sterilization of man etc. but no government of India has successfully formulated policies

Dutta, M. (2019). Environmental impact of overpopulation in India. Clarion: International Multidisciplinary Journal, 8(2), 49-51.https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=edsijc&AN=diva.cla.8.2.007&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=natuniv

IOM: The World must Prepare for Multi-multiculturalism

An effect of a growing population is the increase in the mixing of different cultures, especially via migration and immigration. The following video presents a brief discussion by the International Organization on Migration (IOM) for the need to acknowledge this factor.

IOM: The World Must Prepare for Multi-culturalism

Associated Press. (2015). IOM: The world must prepare for multi-culturalism [Video]. USA: Associated Press.https://video.ebscohost.com/details/1_byy2agy4?lang=en&q=population

World Population Outlook: Explosion or Implosion?

The world population is typically seen as growing. This article explores the potential for a decrease in population, though it still states that the population will likely exceed 9 billion.

World Population Outlook: Explosion or Implosion? The world population was 7.7 billion in 2019, and the United Nations projects 9.7 billion in its medium-variant scenario, which assumes that world fertility continues to decline (from 2.5 children per woman in 2019 to 2.2 in 2050), and only 8.9 billion in its low-variant scenario in which fertility would decline even faster. Unless the entire world is hit by severe disasters on an unprecedented scale, it is difficult to imagine a world population much below 9 billion by 2050.

Leridon, H. (2020). World population outlook: Explosion or implosion? Population & Sociétés, 573, 1-8. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&direct=true&db=bth&AN=141593659&site=eds-live

Megacrisis? Overpopulation is the Problem

Society faces many potential challenges. This article explores how overpopulation serves as a foundation for global crises.

Megacrisis? Overpopulation is the Problem The article offers information on the problem of overpopulation which can raise the situation of mega crises globally. It reports that global crisis can arise from several afflicting situations which include water and food scarcity, global recession and environmental destruction. It informs that youth unemployment also affects economic growth of industrialized and developing nations.

Kuo, G. (2012). Megacrisis? Overpopulation is the problem. World Future Review, 4(3), 23-32. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&direct=true&db=a9h&AN=83535462&site=eds-live

Toward a Small Family Ethic: How Overpopulation and Climate Change Are Affecting the Morality of Procreation

The article reviews a book addressing an underlying cause of overpopulation, namely, the moral sense of producing children. Emphasis is placed on the objections often made to reducing family size.

Toward a Small Family Ethic: How Overpopulation and Climate Change Are Affecting the Morality of Procreation Rieder places a particularly strong emphasis on climate change and the ways in which mitigating climate change is made more difficult by the annual increases in emissions that result from population growth. [...]the first chapter carries two important lessons: "population is a major driver of climate change, in addition to raising concerns about other limited resources" and "climate change is a morally urgent problem" (9). Certain practices are so morally repugnant that we are obligated not to participate in them even when our non-participation does not make a difference to thwarting them. [...]the unfairness associated with having a large, carbon-expensive family will resonate strongly with those who are aware of the enormous ecological footprints tied to western lifestyles and fact that developed nations have historically contributed so much more to the climate change problem than the global poor. [...]Rieder briefly alludes to an argument by John Nolt (Nolt 2011) that the average American could be responsible for the severe suffering or death of 1–2 future people, which would be quite morally significant even if the individual's relative contribution to climate change is small. Beyond these considerations, I also wonder whether Rieder is right to back away from the claim that we have concrete obligations to limit our procreation. [...]the end of chapter 4, he appears on the path to endorsing the view that people living in nations with high per capita carbon footprints have a prima facie obligation to have two or fewer biological children.

Hedberg, T. (n.d.) Toward a small family ethic: How overpopulation and climate change are affecting the morality of procreation. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 28(4), E8-E13. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/toward-small-family-ethic-how-overpopulation/docview/2177214991/se-2?accountid=28180

Region Facing Challenges as World Population Nears 7B Mark

The following video addresses the increasing size of the population while reaching the milestone of 7 billion. It proposes that rather than focus on the increasing numbers, it will be more worthwhile to focus on ensuring a healthy, educated, and skilled population.

Region Facing Challenges as World Population Nears 7B Mark

Associated Press. (2011). Region facing challenges as world population nears 7B mark [Video]. USA: Associated Press. https://video.ebscohost.com/details/1_o406wvdh?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&lang=en&q=world%20population

Improving Well-being and Reducing Future World Population

The article presents a study investigating the relationship between well-being and population, finding an increase in well-being results in a reduction in population for a region. It also presents an example of a real-world application of statistics.

Improving Wellbeing and Reducing Future World Population Almost 80% of the 4 billion projected increase in world population by 2100 comes from 37 Mid-African Countries (MACs), caused mostly by slow declines in Total Fertility Rate (TFR). Historically, TFR has declined in response to increases in wellbeing associated with economic development. We show that, when Infant Survival Rate (ISR, a proxy for wellbeing) has increased, MAC fertility has declined at the same rate, in relation to ISR, as it did in 61 comparable Other Developing Countries (ODCs) whose average fertility is close to replacement level. If MAC ISR were to increase at the historic rate of these ODCs, and TFR declined correspondingly, then the projected world population in 2100 would be decreasing and 1.1 billion lower than currently projected. Such rates of ISR increase, and TFR decrease, are quite feasible and have occurred in comparable ODCs. Increased efforts to improve the wellbeing of poor MAC populations are key.

Murdoch, W., Chu, F., Stewart-Oaten, A., & Wilber, M. (2018). Improving Wellbeing and Reducing Future World Population. PLOS One, 13(9), e0202851. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&direct=true&db=mdc&AN=30208044&site=eds-live

Ageing World: Health Care Challenges

A growing population presents significant challenges. An ageing population has its own significant challenges, especially in terms of healthcare. The article explores this facet of an increasingly ageing population.

Ageing world: Health Care Challenges The world population reached 7 billion in 2012, which is 6 billion more than in 1800. This remarkable population growth is the result of several factors like advances in the medical, technological and public health systems resulting in the control and treatment of communicable diseases, the control of pandemics, the end of large-scale wars, improvements in living conditions and the revolutions in the field of agriculture. Because of all these factors, there has been a considerable improvement in the life expectancy of human beings. There is also an alarming reduction in fertility rates. The combination of declining fertility rate and augmented life expectancies has led to a change in the demographics of the population with the strata of older individuals growing faster than the younger individuals. The aging of populations is poised to become the next global public health challenge. Advances in medicine and socioeconomic development have substantially reduced mortality and morbidity rates due to infectious conditions and, to some extent, non-communicable diseases. These demographic and epidemiological changes, coupled with rapid urbanization, modernization, globalization, and accompanying changes in risk factors and lifestyles, have increased the prominence of chronic non-infective conditions. Health systems need to find effective strategies to extend health care and to respond to the needs of older adults. This review highlights the pathophysiology of aging, biological and physiological changes, impact of aging on health, epidemiological transitions, multi-morbidity in elderly and challenges for health care system.

Mahishale, V. (2015). Ageing world: Health care challenges. Journal of the Scientific Society, 42(3). 138-143. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=shib&custid=natuniv&direct=true&db=a9h&AN=109936083&site=eds-live

Overpopulation Podcast

On the linked website, you will find a series of podcasts that discuss overpopulation. Select two podcasts of your choice to listen to. Ad you listen, think about your own opinion of the topic to expand your view of the issue.

The Overpopulation Podcast The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between World Population Balance Executive Director Dave Gardner, staff, and guests. Stay tuned as we roll out more podcasts to raise overpopulation awareness and spread the great news that overpopulation is solvable!

Overpopulation Podcast. (2020). https://www.worldpopulationbalance.org/podcasts