Introduction to Social Demography: A Comparative Approach (Israel & US

This course will introduce you to the basic concepts, theories, and methods used in social demography. We will apply a comparative approach that highlights country differences with a special emphasis the US Israel comparison. In the first half of this class we will review basic demographic concepts. In the second half of the class we will focus on demography of the family. We will ask how fertility, marriage and divorce differ for different population groups in different countries. We will also learn how demographic processes may be related to the reproduction of poverty, and inequality.