Issues in Population Geography

GGR 323 H1F

Summer 2016

Mondays and Wednesdays 2pm-4pm

Location for all classes in May and June 13 and 15: OISE (OI) 2212

Location for classes on June 1, 6 and 8: Sidney Smith room SS2110

Course Instructor: Dr. Carmen Teeple HopkinsOffice location: SS 5060

E-mail: fice hours: Mon & Wed 4pm-5pm

*please put “GGR 323” into email subject line

Teaching Assistants:

Angelica de

Caitlin Henry

Adam

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Why are populations urbanizing? What are the main theoretical approaches to population growth? What is the relationship between environmental resources and population growth? How is fertility, mortality and migration impacted by the social dimensions of gender, class, race and citizenship? This course takes a critical approach to examine these questions by focusing on the themes of eugenics and colonialism. We will begin by exploring the key concepts and theoretical approaches to understand population growth, labour markets and access to environmental resources. These concepts and approaches will inform our critical analysis of the three following interrelated topics: fertility, mortality and migration. We will analyze these questions from a range of scales from the transnational to the body and will use a lens of class, race, and gender.

COURSE READINGS

There are no required textbooks for the course. All course readings are available through the University of Toronto electronic library system. When noted on the syllabus, some texts are available on-line (link in the syllabus) or as PDFs on Blackboard.

EVALUATION

Assignment / Due Date / Mark Value
In-class participation / Ongoing
[Written in-class individual and small-group exercises] / 10%
Paper Proposal for Issue Analysis Essay (400-500 words) / Wednesday May 25 by 2:10pm / 20%
Issue Analysis Essay (1400-1600 words) / Wednesday June 15 by 2:10pm / 35%
Final Exam / TBA June 20-24 / 35%

COURSE TOPICS

Week 1

Monday May 9Course Overview

Wednesday May 11Origins of Population Geography and The Demographic Transition

Week 2

Monday May 16Theoretical Approaches: Thomas Malthus versus Karl Marx

Wednesday May 18 Population and Environmental Resources

Week 3

Monday May 23 * NO CLASS * UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY

Wednesday May 25Eugenics and Fertility (I): A historical portrait in Canada

Week 4

Monday May 30Eugenics and Fertility (II): A contemporary transnational portrait

Wednesday June 1Mortality Rates (I)

Week 5

Monday June 6 Mortality Rates (II)

Wednesday June 8Migration I: Eugenics and Immigration Policy

Week 6

Monday June 13Migration II: Mortality at the US/Mexican border

Wednesday June 15Conclusion and Final Exam Review