INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 3E

Chapter 20 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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COLLEGE PHYSICS

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FIGURE 20.1

A view from space makes it easy to see differences in population. Lighted areas are urban centers, containing larger and larger portions of the world’s population. Darker areas are sparsely populated. Beyond the global scale, the differences within regions is notable. Africa is mostly empty of lights with the exception of a few densely populated areas to the south, west, and north. India is almost clearly outlined by its lights, showing a stark contrast with the nations to its north and west, with a line of light indicating the cities along the Indus River in Pakistan. The United States almost seems to be split in half at the line formed by Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Wichita. (Credit NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

FIGURE 20.1

Demography is the study of population

Fertility Rate is a measure noting the actual number of children born

Mortality Rate is a measure of the number of people in a population who die

FIGURE 20.2

This is a Marcellus shale gas-drilling site in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Nicholas A. Tonelli/flickr)

FIGURE 20.3

At nearly 8 billion, Earth’s population is always on the move, but the methods vary. As you see here, bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters are more common in Vietnam than they are in many U.S. cities. And in some countries, masks were common well before COVID-19. (Credit: Esin .stün/flickr)

POPULATION GROWTH

Population Composition is a snapshot of the demographic profile of a population based on fertility, mortality, and migration rates

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Sex Ratio refers to the ratio of men to women in a given population

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Population Pyramid refers to a graphic representation that depicts population distribution according to age and sex

FIGURE 20.5

This population pyramid shows the breakdown of the 2019 U.S. population according to age and sex. (Credit: Populationpyramid.net)

DEMOGRAPHIC THEORIES

Malthusian Theory is a theory asserting that population is controlled through positive checks (war, famine, disease) and preventive checks (measures to reduce fertility)

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Carrying Capacity refers to the amount of people that can live in a given area considering the amount of available resources

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An Essay on Population (1965 [1798])

DEMOGRAPHIC THEORIES

Zero Population Growth is a theoretical goal in which the number of people entering a population through birth or immigration is equal to the number of people leaving it via death or emigration

Cornucopian Theory is a theory that asserts human ingenuity will rise to the challenge of providing adequate resources for a growing population

Demographic Transition Theory is a theory that describes four stages of population growth, following patterns that connect birth and death rates with stages of industrial development

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FIGURE 20.4

This March 2021 image of dozens of children in plastic-lined holding areas was one of a group of photos that sparked public outcry in the early days of the Biden administration, years after similar scenes and situations in the 2014 and 2018 border crises. (Credit: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

REFUGEES, ASYLUM-SEEKERS, AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE

Refugee refers to an individual who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster

Asylum-Seekers are those whose claim to refugee status have not been validated

An Internally Displaced Person is someone who fled their home while remaining inside the country’s borders

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FIGURE 20.9

The lights of New York City are an iconic image of city life.

(Credit: Jauher Ali Nasir/flickr)

SUBURBS AND EXBURBS

• Suburbs are the communities surrounding cities, typically close enough for a daily commute.
• Exurbs are communities that arise farther out than the suburbs and are typically populated by residents of high socioeconomic status.
• A Metropolis is the area that includes a city and its suburbs and exurbs.
• A Megalopolis is a large urban corridor that encompasses several cities and their surrounding suburbs and exurbs.

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FIGURE 20.10

The sprawl in Los Angeles means long commutes and traffic congestion.

(Credit: Doc Searles/flickr)

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

• Robert Park: Human Ecology is a functional perspective that looks at the relationship between people and their built and natural environment
• Ernest W. Burgess: Concentric Zone Model is a model of human ecology that views cities as a series of circular rings or zones
• Environmental Sociology refers to the sociological subfield that addresses the relationship between humans and the environment
• Climate Change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and climate due to human activity
• Pollution refers to the introduction of contaminants into an environment at levels that are damaging

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FERTILITY AND MORTALITY RATED BY COUNTRY 

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As the table illustrates, countries vary greatly in fertility rates and mortality rates—the components that make up a population composition. This data is from 2018, and changes occur continually. For example, in 2014, the number of children per adult woman in Afghanistan was 5.4 – generally an average of one more child per family. And the U.S. was slightly higher at 2.0 (World Bank 2019)

FIGURE 20.6

Projected Population in Africa Projected Population in Africa This graph shows the population growth of countries located on the African continent, many of which have high fertility rates. (Credit: USAID)

FIGURE 20.7

Projected Population in the United States The United States has an intermediate fertility rate, and therefore, a comparatively moderate projected population growth. (Graph courtesy of USAID)

FIGURE 20.8

Projected Population in Europe This chart shows the projected population growth of Europe for the remainder of this century. (Graph courtesy of USAID)

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Note that compared to Africa and the U.S., this population is projected to decline in the future. Already in Europe, some countries are going through population decline, and some towns are being abandoned.

PERCENT OF U.S. POPULATION IN RURAL VS. URBAN SETTINGS

As this chart illustrates, the shift from rural to urban living in the United States has been dramatic and continuous. (Credit: the U.S. Census Bureau)

FIGURE 20.12

This illustration depicts the zones that make up a city in the concentric zone model. (Photo courtesy of Zeimusu/Wikimedia Commons)

FIGURE 20.13

Too little land for grazing means starving cattle. (Photo courtesy of newbeatphoto/flickr)

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

• Environmental Sociology refers to the sociological subfield that addresses the relationship between humans and the environment
• Climate Change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and climate due to human activity
• Pollution refers to the introduction of contaminants into an environment at levels that are damaging

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FIGURE 20.13

Where should garbage go when you’ve run out of room? This is a question that is increasingly pressing the planet. (Credit: Department of Environmental Protection Recycling/flickr)

UNSAFE WATER

• 160 million children suffer from malnutrition and growth issues due to water issues.
• An estimated 3 billion people do not have access to clean water at home for hand-washing (CDC 2016).
• Many of those without water for hand-washing live in agricultural societies or live in close contact in cities.
• Water haulers travel long distances on foot to collect potable water for their family. (Water.org 2021).
• Interferes with children’s education, women’s health, and fetal/infant health.

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WATER FOOTPRINT

• Oil and natural gas production, discussed at the beginning of the chapter, require so much water that there's no safe place to put the wastewater other than deep underground.
• Almonds take approximately 1 gallon per individual almond. 8 percent of California's water supply
• Coffee takes 37 gallons per cup
• Dairy milk is known to take more water to produce than does almond milk, for example.
• And a steak may take up to 900 gallons of water to produce

(WaterCalculuator.org 2020).

FIGURE 20.15

A parking lot filled with electronic waste, known as e-waste. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Environmental Command/flickr)

FIGURE 20.16

An aerial view of the Gulf Coast, taken in May of 2010, illustrates the damage done by the BP Deep Water Horizon spill. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Warren/flickr)

FIGURE 20.17

Oil on the gulf shore beaches caused great destruction, killing marine and land animals and crippling local business. (Photo courtesy of AV8ter/flickr)

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