Population Studies

Survey of past and current trends in the growth of the population of the world and of selected regions. Analysis of the components of growth and their determinants. The social and economic consequences of population change.

Source materials used in the study of population; standard procedures for the measurement of fertility, mortality, natural increase, migration, and nuptiality; and uses of model life tables and stable population analysis and other techniques of estimation when faced with inaccurate or incomplete data are studied. Prerequisite: 571 or instructor's permission.

This course is concerned with the professional obligations of social science researchers. Topics covered include teaching and mentoring relationships, human subjects protections, professional codes of ethics, data management, peer review, collaboration, scientific misconduct (fraud, fabrication and plagiarism), conflicts of interest, and scientific agenda-setting. The course is intended for graduate students in Sociology and the Office of Population Research.

The analysis of survey data using generalized linear statistical models. The course begins with a review of linear models for continuous responses and then considers logistic regression models for binary data and log-linear models for count data, including rates and contingency tables and hazard models for duration data. Attention is given to the logical and mathematical foundations of the techniques, but the main emphasis is on the applications, including computer usage. The course assumes prior exposure to statistics at the level of WWS507c and familiarity with matrix algebra and calculus.

Measurement of health status, illness occurrence, mortality and impact of associated risk factors; techniques for design, analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic research studies; sources of bias and confounding; and causal inference. Other topics include foundations of modern epidemiology, the epidemiologic transition, reemergence of infectious disease, social inequalities in health, and ethical issues. Course examines bridging of "individual-centered" epidemiology and "macro-epidemiology" to recognize social, economic and cultural context, assess impacts on populations, and provide inputs for public health and health policy.

About well-being throughout the world, with focus on income and health. Explores what happened to poverty, inequality, and health, in the US, and internationally. Discusses conceptual foundations of national and global measures of inequality, poverty, and health; construction of measures, and extent to which they can be trusted; relationship between globalization, poverty, and health, historically and currently. Examines links between health and income, why poor people are less healthy and live less long than rich people. Prereqs: 507 and 511. Please see instructor to apply for enrollment.

Course examines how and why society can make us sick or healthy and how gender, race/ethnicity, wealth, education, occupation and other social statuses shape health outcomes. It looks at the role of social institutions, and environment-society interactions in shaping health outcomes and examines how these factors underlie some of the major causes of illness and death around the world including infant mortality, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The course draws on historical and cross-cultural material from the U.S. as well as global examples from different countries around the world.

These courses focus on the analysis of a variety of policy issues. Students can mix and match half-term courses, either within or across terms, choosing a combination of two that best suits their interests. Two half-term courses are equivalent to one full-term course.

Course examines their political systems in a comparative framework, comparing them both among themselves and with other developing countries, drawing on various approaches of political sociology and, in particular, political economy. Course will start with a review of ¿State formation and state-society relations in the Gulf: what is Gulf politics?¿ and conclude with a session on "Implications for US foreign policy."

These courses focus on the analysis of a variety of policy issues. Students can mix and match half-term courses, either within or across terms, choosing a combination of two that best suits their interests. Two half-term courses are the equivalent of one full-term course. Fall term courses are numnbered 593; Spring term courses are numbered 594. Courses with alternating letters beginning with "a" will be offered in the first half of the term, courses with alternating letters beginning with "b" will be offered in the second half of the term.