Demographic Trends Flashcards
birth rate and family size trends
• birth rate is in a long term decline since 1900. From 28.7 to 10.7 in 2007
• Average children to have is 1.7
• However there have been 3 baby booms in the 20th century - Post war, couples started families they had postponed and the 1960’s. Between 2001 and 2012 live births rose by 23%.
fertility rate trends
•this has undergone fluctuations. It reached a peak of 2.95 during 60’s baby boom and a low of 1.63 in 2001. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for 2009 shows an average of 1.96 children per woman in England and Wales
• There has been a slight increase in births since 2001 - one reason is the increase in immigration, on average mothers from outside the UK have higher fertility rates.
• Average family size in the UK in 2012 was 1.8 children.
reasons for change in birth rates and family size
• Legal equality with men, including the right to vote. (Feminism)
• Increased educational opportunities + More women in paid employment (sharpe)
• Reliable contraception (individualism-Bruce) religion no longer exerts the same control over communities, sexual relationships are now valued outside of procreation. The prevalence of effective, safe, and accessible contraception and abortion means that there are fewer unwanted pregnancies.
•Now more women are remaining childless and postponing having children - meaning fewer fertile years. (smart) - ‘Connectedness thesis’ means that people can form meaningful connections with friends, colleagues, and pets. Sometimes these bonds are stronger than family relations because of shared experiences.
death rates trends
• The death rate has fallen since 1900 - from 19 to 10 per thousand each year
• Epidemic and war have caused fluctuation.
life expectancy trends
• As death rates have fallen life expectancy has increased.
• In 1900 males and females on average lived to 50/57 . In 2013 males 79 and females 83.
• Despite all improvements there are still gender, class and regional differences. I.e. Those living in the North and Scotland have lower life expectancy than those in the South, working class men are 3x more likely to die before 65 compared with middle class men.
• In comparison to the UK, life expectancy is higher in some countries e.g Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia
factors affecting death rates and life expectancy
• Technological and medical advancements have contributed to the reduction of infant mortality rates and improved survival rates for various diseases.
• Better living conditions, improved nutrition, and increased access to clean water and sanitation also enhance life expectancy. - Mckeown
• Educational level and socioeconomic status can significantly impact life expectancy. For instance, individuals in higher social classes often have greater life expectancy due to access to better healthcare and healthier lifestyles.
• welfare state
• Functionalists view increased life expectancy as a sign of societal progress due to advancements in health and social care. They see it positively, as this can lead to an enriched multigenerational bonding experience.
• Marxists, on the other hand, may argue that the increase in life expectancy can exacerbate existing inequalities. The bourgeois class is likely to have a higher life expectancy because of their ability to afford better healthcare and living conditions.
• Feminists may critique the increased ageing population because in many societies, caring for the elderly falls disproportionately on women, thus deepening gender inequalities.
ageing population trends
•There are fewer young people and more old people in the population. 65 year olds were projected to overtake the under16’s by 2014.
•related to increasing life expectancy, declining fertility and infant mortality.
causes of ageing population
• declining fertility rates (Sharpe)
• increased life expectancy
•
impacts of an ageing population
• impact on public services - (key) increased strain on social care for elderly
• closer relationship between grandparents and grandchildren- taking on childcare roles, growth of beanpole families
• Functionalists view increased life expectancy as a sign of societal progress due to advancements in health and social care. They see it positively, as this can lead to an enriched multigenerational bonding experience.
• Marxists, on the other hand, may argue that the increase in life expectancy can exacerbate existing inequalities. The bourgeois class is likely to have a higher life expectancy because of their ability to afford better healthcare and living conditions.
• Feminists may critique the increased ageing population because in many societies, caring for the elderly falls disproportionately on women, thus deepening gender inequalities.
Migration trends
Impacts of migration
• ball - multiculturalism
• berthouse - (cultural diversity in families) in Asian families marriage is highly valued and therefore cohabitation and divorce are rare. There is also evidence to suggest that there is little intermarriage between Asians and other ethnic groups. This could be due to the levels of arranged marriages within Asian communities
- Eriksen - (dual heritage) has been an increase in children who are both born in the uk to parents where one or both are from a unique identity that blends together their family heritage together with influences from contemporary uk cultural
Globalisation and the family
- Technological changes - (palmer) consumerism + toxic childhood
- increased migration - Postmodernists says that the increase in diversity leads to more choice in terms of relationships as people are now able to create the family they want to live in.
- increased inequality - as globalisation increases migration of people from other cultures, a common trend is for such groups to reside in the same area, leading to very segregated cities. (Bruce) would explain this as being a method of cultural transition where people want to migrate to places that will keep some of the culture they are used to ( ie. international supermarkets, places of worship) areas become dominated by migrants, who are usually working class, family structure alters.
- multiculturalism - Ball
