Showing papers in "Population Space and Place in 2005"

Foucault's population geographies: classifications, biopolitics and governmental spaces

Abstract: While Michel Foucault's writings have been used in different branches of geography, his later writings on governmentality and especially biopolitics have not yet received due consideration within population geography. This paper attempts to divert attention to Foucault's writings on population, from his initial medical work to his later governmentality lectures on the regulation of national populations. From his various writings the different scales of biopolitics (subjective, territorial, geopolitical, state, international) and the different analytical levels (episteme, identity, visibility, techne, and ethos) appropriate to them are suggested as being of use to population geographers. Practical examples are given from research on colonial India due to its diversity and the foregrounding of political relations that can be observed there. A review of the debate on how to (re)theorise population geography is used to suggest that Foucault's writings can help population geographers to consider the objects, methods and outputs of their research in a critical and politically active way. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SimBritain: a spatial microsimulation approach to population dynamics

Abstract: In this paper we present an account of a 3-year research project that is aimed at dynamically simulating urban and regional populations in Britain. In the context of this project we are using data from the 1991 UK Census Small Area Statistics (SAS) and the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), in order to dynamically simulate the entire population of Britain into 2021 at the small area level. This paper discusses the structure, aims and objectives of SimBritain and presents some preliminary results. Firstly, alternative spatial microsimulation strategies are discussed and their advantages and drawbacks are outlined. Next, the difficulties in calibrating and validating dynamic microsimulation models such as SimBritain are highlighted and ways to tackle these difficulties are explored. The paper then presents some model outputs that highlight the geographical variation of a wide range of socio-economic variables through the 1990s. Moreover, in light of these outputs, the paper discusses the potential of SimBritain for policy analysis.

Building a Dynamic Spatial Microsimulation Model for Ireland

Abstract: Microsimulation describes economic and social events by modelling the behaviour of individual agents These models have proved useful in evaluating the impact of policy changes at the microlevel Spatial microsimulation models contain geographical information and allow for a regional or local approach to policy analysis This paper builds on previous work on urban systems by employing similar modelling techniques for the analysis of rural areas It describes the development of the SMILE (Simulation Model for the Irish Local Economy) model SMILE is a dynamic spatial microsimulation model designed to analyse the impact of policy change and economic development on rural areas in Ireland At its core, SMILE is a model of population It simulates the basic components of population change, fertility, mortality and internal migration, at a small area level This paper describes the method for projecting population change at the subcounty level Results from the 1991 and 1996 dynamic model at county level are discussed, and a brief comparison is made with other methods Finally, the features that distinguish microsimulation models from other population projection models are discussed

Recent developments in population projection methodology: a review

Abstract: In this paper we survey five streams of research that have made important contributions to population projection methodology over the last decade. These are: (i) the evaluation of population forecasts; (ii) probabilistic methods; (iii) experiments in the projection of migration; (iv) projecting dimensions additional to age, sex and region; and (v) the use of scenarios for 'what if?' analyses and understanding population dynamics. Key developments in these areas are discussed, and a number of opportunities for further research are identified. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Some benefits of migrants' return visits to Ghana

Abstract: This paper explores some of the benefits associated with expatriates’ temporary return visits to Ghana. These return trips to one’s place of origin or birth commonly referred to as ‘visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR) tourism represent one of the major outcomes of the migration–tourism nexus. The benefits assessed in this study relate to donations expenditures and investments made in Ghana by these visiting expatriates. Using two datasets derived from newspaper content analyses on donations made in Ghana by visiting non-resident Ghanaians and the other a questionnaire interview schedule organised in the United Kingdom for resident Ghanaians on their expenditure and investment outlays during their most recent visit a number of pertinent issues are investigated. Some of these issues relate to the quantity timing and beneficiaries of donations as well as their spatial distribution and their potential for poverty alleviation. (authors)

Exploring the vulnerability of asylum seekers in the UK

Abstract: Asylum seekers living in the UK are identified as a vulnerable group in contemporary society. Empirical results from in-depth interviews are drawn upon in the paper to uncover the everyday experiences of asylum seekers. This material is then employed to engage critically with the concept of vulnerability. Three main themes specifically structure the discussion: the interstitial position of asylum seekers in the nation state is explored; the spatial manifestations of vulnerability are identified; and the responses of individuals to their vulnerable situation are highlighted. By drawing upon the specific example of this illustrative group, important theoretical implications for the understanding of vulnerability are proposed. These include the importance of time-space relative to vulnerable populations and the potential cumulative effect of vulnerability. Finally, questions are raised as to how researchers investigate and represent vulnerable populations.

Towards an interdisciplinary conceptualisation of vulnerability

Abstract: Each discipline uses uncertainty in different ways. This paper reviews the range of definitions and methodologies used by researchers to approach vulnerability in the search for an interdisciplinary conceptualisation. Two themes (poverty, exclusion and marginalisation on the one hand, and society–environment interactions on the other) are used to explore the authors' conceptualisation of vulnerability. The paper points towards possible convergences of these approaches. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Partnering ‘out’ and fitting in: residential segregation and the neighbourhood contexts of mixed‐race households

Abstract: This analysis considers how racial segregation affects the residential geographies of households headed by mixed-race couples. We also become interested in assessing whether diverse households live in diverse places. To measure neighbourhood diversity, we develop a new index of diversity based on the exposure index. The analysis of 12 large US metropolitan areas finds that race (in tandem with status markers like income) and nativity provide some of the best understandings of the neighbourhood geographies of mixed-race households. The study also reveals that instead of fitting into and thus reinforcing the existing racialised urban spatial structure, some households formed by ‘partnering out’ live in spaces characterised by their racial diversity. We focus on the mixed-race household because such a collective constitutes a scale at which mixed-race contact takes place and a site for identity construction of individuals, partners, and the surrounding neighbourhood. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Remittance outcomes in rural Oaxaca, Mexico: challenges, options and opportunities for migrant households

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the ways in which migrant households in rural Oaxaca Mexico use remittances. We use data from a survey and ethnographic research in 12 rural communities in the central valleys of the state to examine three investment strategies: those made in the local (village) commercial economy those made in the agricultural/dairy sector and those made in Oaxaca’s tourism industry. In our discussion we examine the challenges that surround such local efforts and ask whether such patterns increase dependency or create opportunities. Finally we ask can the investment of remittances mitigate future migration? (authors)

The geographies that wound

Abstract: As a contribution to debates about vulnerability, this essay is a meditation on the theme of ‘wounds’ and ‘wounding’. The focus is primarily conceptual, reflecting on how vulnerability studies might be recast through the lenses of wounds and wounding, thereby retrieving a critical sense of attributing blame for the ‘making’ of certain peoples and places more vulnerable than others to hazards of all kinds. Emphasis is placed on the interconnected geographies (and histories) through which vectors of blame might be traced, but also on questions arising about how to ‘treat’ the wounds of the vulnerable, touching on more literary–critical and anthropological arguments about how the pain of the wounded should be represented and memorialised. The essay admittedly retreads ground already covered by other critical scholars, but hopefully holds value as part of a broader thrust of progressive ‘ontology-building’ exercises. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Remitting the gift: Zambian mobility and anthropological insights for migration studies.

Abstract: This article brings together anthropological theories of gift exchange and ethnographic data on migrant gifting (‘remitting’) in order to understand the core of investing in social relations through remitting practices. Migration literature from throughout the developing world documents important patterns of remitting that furthers our understanding of how migrants' earnings help rural investment. In contrast to the majority of migration literature, scholars working in different regions of Zambia have documented migration patterns and remittance practices that do not echo the documented findings from other regions of the developing world. In Zambian migration, remittances consist more of food, ‘town goods’ or cash, rather than the larger sums of money or durable goods that other migration studies describe. The Zambian literature also documents cases of non-remitting. Rather than provide significant support to relatives in sending communities, Zambian migrants invest in social networks over time through ‘gift-remitting’. These ‘gift-remittances’ facilitate options to return to home communities, or to maintain mutually beneficial social ties for both migrants and relatives in home villages. These findings compel policies directed towards enhancing migrants' remitting power to consider the core social foundation of their ties to home, and how investing in social relations can be incorporated into policy development. The article draws on fieldwork with the Gwembe Tonga people of Zambia's Southern Province since 1994, and recent ethnographic literature from Zambia. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Migration histories and occupational achievement

Abstract: We have investigated the impact of men's and women's migration histories on their occupational achievement. Compared with previous work, our operationalisation of migration histories is much more detailed; we include not only the distinction between onward and return migration, but also the crucial aspects of the destination and short-term versus long-term effects of migration. Using retrospective survey data for the Netherlands and a least-squares regression model of socio-economic status, we explain the socio-economic status of men and women in a given year from the migration history up to that year, controlling for other factors known to influence socio-economic status. Support was found for the hypothesis that migration has a positive long-term impact on men's occupational achievement. Only multiple migrations affect women's occupational achievement significantly, in a positive way. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Empirical evidence of regional population concentration in Europe, 1870–2000

Abstract: This paper presents empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that, over time, Europe's population has undergone progressive regional concentration. Using data at the regional level from the first (1870) until the most recent (2000) available censuses, it is shown that the most densely populated areas in 1870 have continued to absorb subsequent population increase, and that as a result, territorial inequalities with respect to population have been exacerbated. Our main contribution consists of measuring this phenomenon and studying the spatial distribution of population in Europe from a historical perspective. For example, a high correlation (0.83) was found between the population density patterns for 1870 and 2000. These results allow a better understanding of the organisation of European society and more specifically of the phenomenon of counter-urbanisation, which has traditionally been observed at the local level but not at the regional one. To make this possible, we have built a new and comprehensive database on the distribution of population in Central and Western Europe between 1870 and 2000. In this paper we explain the methodology followed, which involves the combination of historical information from a variety of sources, to produce a homogeneous, regional-scale database that considers changes in European administrative borders within recent history. This database has been produced to trace the evolution of regional population throughout this period and to provide an insight into the most important long-term trends and spatial patterns affecting European population. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Underenumeration of the Jewish population in the UK 2001 Census

Abstract: The size of the UK Jewish population has always been a source of uncertainty for demographers. Following considerable discussion and testing, a voluntary question on religion was introduced into the 2001 Census, which afforded the first opportunity to provide definitive answers to the socio-demographic make-up of Jews in Britain. However, examination of the 2001 Census figures and data from several large surveys suggests that the census population of 266,740 British Jews by religion is probably a considerable undercount. Jews are increasingly defining themselves in ethnic rather than religious terms, so there is reason to question the efficacy of the data derived from the current format of the census question on religion and identity in general. With growing demands for comprehensive planning of social service needs, the necessity for accurate data is more important than ever. Although much of this can be derived from the Census, there continues to be a key role for community-wide surveys.

Counting urban population in chinese censuses 1953–2000: changing definitions, problems and solutions

Abstract: The level of urbanisation in many developing countries such as China has remained at less than 50%, despite rapid urban population growth since the 1950s. Obtaining accurate information on urban population is essential for monitoring and studying the ongoing urbanisation process that is restructuring the societies of less urbanised countries. The difficulties in counting China's urban population have arisen from the accelerated urbanisation in China under a model of dual-track urbanisation since the early 1980s. Institutional settings for urbanisation have also been altered with the revision of criteria for city and town designation. These developments make it increasingly difficult to count urban population in China, causing frequent changes in the definition of urban population in five censuses from 1953 to 2000. Two approaches have been adopted to estimate urban population data series for inter-census periods. This paper proposes a third approach based on the concept of dual-track urbanisation, counting and estimating urban non-agricultural and agricultural populations separately. After thorough examination and comparison of the definition of urban population and data quality from five censuses, this paper obtains a set of more consistent urban population data after a series of adjustments. A new series of urban population data is estimated for 1982–2001. The results provide reliable urbanisation data for further study on urban transition and development in China. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mobile vulnerabilities: perspectives on the vulnerabilities of immigrants in the Finnish labour market

Abstract: In this article, the types of vulnerability faced by immigrants in the Finnish labour market are investigated in relation to differences in their ethnic origin. Labour-market performance of immigrants is analysed by local labour-market area. The most successful immigrants are so-called Westerners. By contrast immigrants from the developing world face severe problems, especially the fundamental one of getting started in the labour market. High unemployment levels in Finland, the low esteem attributed to foreign work experience by Finnish employers, and inadequate language skills are the main barriers encountered by labour-market entrants from abroad. There are more jobs for migrants in the major southern cities than in the smaller centres of other regions. Those who are unemployed during the first year after immigration are likely to continue to face problems thereafter. Only a fifth of unemployed immigrants succeeded in finding a job in their first year after arrival year. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Editorial: vulnerable spatialities

Abstract: The tsunami of 26 December 2004 provided an empirical lens to explore the multiple geographical dimensions of population vulnerability. Examining the global reach of the tsunami provides a useful starting point in researching the changing spatial significance of events such as this. Defining spatial vulnerabilities is, however, very problematic, especially when producing conventional metrics such as measuring the death rate is so difficult. The paper explores the spatialities of vulnerability relative to what is knowable about the political, economic and social contexts of vulnerable peoples'. It is argued that ‘spatial context’ needs to be conceptualised as contingent, and that relational understandings can help to understand how vulnerabilities, including those associated with the tsunami, are represented. While relational thinking has profound implications for how spatial vulnerabilities are studied by researchers working amongst communities at risk, the article closes by recommending that population researchers maintain a pluralistic vision of research praxis. In discussing these issues the article also provides a conceptual framework within which the work of other geographers in general, and the contributions of other papers in this special issue in particular, may be located. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sex, life, death, geography: fragmentary remarks inspired by ‘Foucault's population geographies’

Abstract: This paper is prompted by Stephen Legg's contribution to the journal on the subject of ‘Foucault's population geographies’. It provides a brief appreciation of Legg's contribution, and uses his claims as a platform for reflecting further on what attention to the work of Michel Foucault – the French philosopher-historian – can bring to the table of population geography. More specifically, it is argued that Foucault's concern for sex, its bio-politics and bio-history could be more explicitly foregrounded in the subdiscipline. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The rise of the small household: demographic change and household structure in Paris

Abstract: This paper examines the changing numbers and structure of households in the City of Paris during the 1980s and 1990s. It sets the findings in the context of the Paris agglomeration and considers the results in the light of broader demographic trends associated with the second demographic transition. Although part of a longer-term historical process of declining household size, the growth of one-person households was rapid in this period, accounting for most of the growth in numbers of households. Over 50% of all households were one-person in 1999 in the City of Paris, and four-fifths consisted of just one or two people. The greatest increase was in the pre-retirement age groups. The paper examines the demographic structure of these households and their geographical distribution, raising questions about the relationship between household changes, occupational structure, housing markets and patterns of residential mobility. Whilst the analysis confirms the well-established concentration of one-person households in the central city, it indicates considerable dispersion of new household forms to the rest of the agglomeration. Moreover, although young adults continue to play an important role in the City of Paris, the effects of previous demographic change on the size of generations points to a sharp increase in older adults in their forties and fifties during the 1990s. As in other leading French cities, gender, occupational status and housing are found to be important ingredients in the explanation of one-person households, with the increase in women in professional employment a particular feature. A case study of one quartier exemplifies these relationships. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fertility trends in china's more developed urban districts: the case of four cities

Abstract: This research examines fertility trends in more developed urban districts in China and provides empirical evidence which enhances our theoretical understanding of fertility. The research uses the study areas of Shanghai Beijing Changchun and Shenyang with the assumption that these cities might provide insights into future fertility trends in China. Data were collected using survey questionnaires and face-to-face and telephone interviews. Participants and their parents reported their demographic characteristics and reproductive desires and the reasons behind their decisions. Selected participants and family planning officials and workers were interviewed to check the reliability of the information provided on the surveys and to further examine explanations for fertility decline. The research found major differences in demographic characteristics and behaviours between generations and among different demographic groups and the four cities. Very low fertility and reproductive desire were found in these places together with a high proportion of childless families and a high male/female sex ratio. Career pressure and financial constraints were found to be more important than the one-child policy in explaining these trends. These findings generally agree with local reports and publications and common explanations of fertility change in developed countries. (authors)

Examining and presenting trends of internal migration flows within England and Wales

Abstract: This paper examines trends in internal migration flows within England and Wales. Spatial trends are presented using tables and thematic maps. Temporal trends are presented more efficiently using a contemporary visualisation method, the heat map. Sample data from the National Health Service Central Registrar (NHSCR) are presented and discussed as a case study. The analysis includes in-, out- and net migration, as well as migration flows, for the Newcastle district. It also considers the Family Health Service Authorities (FHSAs) that are net migration losers and gainers. In addition to the methodological contribution of this work, conclusions are drawn on temporal trends, the degree of dispersal in migration linkages, and the continuation of the counterurbanisation phenomenon in the 1990s. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘Religion’ in the 2001 Census for England and Wales

Abstract: The 2001 Census in England and Wales asked a question on religion for the first time since 1851. This paper takes an empirically rich look at the process that led to the reintroduction of this question into the Census. Drawing on official documents and interviews with key figures in the process, it discusses the extent to which minority groups were able to influence the form and content of the census. The conclusion reached is that in terms of the official consultation process, the faith communities did not present a strong enough case for the inclusion of a question on religion. The intervention of political factors, however, was the key to its success, and religion is now part of the statistical picture of England and Wales. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tourism and interregional migration in Sweden: an explorative approach.

Abstract: Are places with a successful tourist industry also successful when it comes to attracting migrants? In the present paper this hypothesis is empirically tested on interregional migration in Sweden. The paper draws on recent interest in, and research on, the relationship between tourism and migration. This line of research could be seen as an extension of traditional quality of life studies on migration, and the hypothesis partly rests on the notion that what people do in their spare time is increasingly emphasised and valued, which might very well affect population redistribution. Two complementary empirical data sources are used to test the hypothesis. The main focus is on the statistical analyses where tourismrelated and other more traditional variables are used to estimate the effects on migration. In addition, survey responses from 74% of the Swedish municipalities are used to find out whether the local authorities have noticed any relationship between tourism and migration. The results indicate that tourism indeed exerts a positive influence on migration, but the effects vary quite significantly among different age groups as well as when a ‘metropolitan effect’ is taken into account. The results show the need for further inquiries of tourism and migration, if the hypothesis is to be thoroughly confirmed. (Less)

Editorial: race, religion and the census

Abstract: The inclusion of a question on religion in the 2001 Census in the UK has renewed interest in the relationship between empirical measurement and the assessment of religious and racialised affiliation. The authors discuss the context of this current debate and introduce a collection of four papers which address these issues.

Vulnerability and HIV/AIDS in Africa: from demography to development

Abstract: Geographical studies of the African HIV/AIDS epidemic must consider not only familiar biological and epidemiological parameters but also the development contexts in which the epidemic is raging. HIV/AIDS is exceptional in its geographical spread and socio-economic and demographic impacts: very different from more familiar African diseases such as malaria. Vulnerability to the disease needs to consider not only exposure but also each societys capacity to cope with it at the same time as the heavy burdens of poverty prior infection and fragile governance and also each societys potentiality to intervene to mitigate its potentially devastating effects whether through facilitating behavioural change or in more effective health provision. The importance of the development dimensions in Africa is illustrated through discussion of the wide range of scenarios offered by UNAIDS for the patterns and levels of the epidemic for 2025. (authors)

Race and the census in the Commonwealth

Abstract: Race has been a subject of enquiry in the majority of censuses in the Commonwealth. Although the validity of the investigation and the results have been open to question, the endeavour to collect taxonomic information has been universal. Few guidelines were offered by the London government, with the result that each colony tended to adopt its own system of classification, the majority of which were inherited after independence by the post-colonial census administrations. In the attempt to depict the diversity of colonial societies, the classifications sought to solve a number of basic problems. The first was defining a European, which absorbed undue attention in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The second was to discern recognisable groups within indigenous societies, and the third to distinguish between immigrant communities. Many of the groupings that were identified in colonial times were retained thereafter. The problems encountered by colonial census commissioners thus remain, as only rarely has the exercise been abandoned. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Migration of same‐sex couples

Abstract: The trailing wife literature finds that migration harms the employment of married women for at least several years following a move. The bulk of empirical evidence also suggests that this is due to the social construction of gender roles within the family. This research tests the gender role argument by examining the effect of moving on a family type in which those heterosexual married couple gender roles are assumed to be absent: gay and lesbian same-sex couples. The hypothesis is that, in the absence of traditional gender roles, the effect of moving on men and women will be the same. The empirical analysis uses data from the Public Use Microdata Sample of the 1990 US Census, identifies a sample of same-sex couples, and estimates models of labour-market status and hours worked. The results indicate that the migration of same-sex couples has no effect on the labour-market status and hours worked of men and women in gay and lesbian couples. This provides indirect evidence in support of the gender role argument. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Trends in Water Usage and Knowledge of Arsenicosis in Bangladesh: Findings from Successive National Surveys

Abstract: The presence of arsenic in tubewell water has been identified as a major health problem in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Government, with international assistance, is attempting to mitigate the effects of arsenic by a major programme of tubewell water testing and education about arsenic and how its ingestion can be avoided. In early 2000 the first nationally representative cluster sample survey of water use in Bangladesh found that knowledge of arsenicosis remained low, tubewell water remained the dominant source of rural water, and few people knew if their tubewell was safe from arsenic contamination or alternatively treated it for arsenic. This paper reports on a follow-up survey of the earlier study population to determine change over two years, and thus for the first time allows a measure of change at the national level. Awareness that there might be something wrong with tubewell water had risen markedly, especially among women respondents. However, there had been only a minor increase in the proportion reporting that they had changed water sources. This indicates a lack of a clear message about the risks involved, and about how to respond to the problem. The health authorities lack good information as to the real dangers involved, and the most appropriate interventions, both in technical terms and in terms of economic and social acceptability. In the absence of such information, the most effective strategy may be to promote more rapid testing of wells and to encourage people to switch wells. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.