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Topic:

The Role of Demographic Transitions in Shaping Contemporary China

Essay Instructions:

Term Paper Assignment

Population and Society

GUIDELINES – Your term paper must be typed, double-spaced, twelve-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins all around, and at least 6 to 8 pages long. Use and cite at least FIVE reputable social science sources (see below for more on ‘reputable’). At least one of your sources must be a peer-reviewed publication from a social science journal or academic press.

DIRECTIONS:

This course is mainly about the demographic transitions that societies have gone – and are still – going through. Such transitions cause there to be great cultural and social differences across the generations (otherwise known as cohorts). Your task for this term paper assignment is to apply theories and processes related to the demographic transitions and sub-transitions covered throughout this course to the cultural and social differences that you notice across the last 3 generations / cohorts in China, including your own. How do the theories and processes of demographic transition that we have covered in this course account for the social and cultural differences that you see across the past 3 Chinese generations / cohorts?

A WORD ON SOURCES:

Evidence can take a number of forms – facts and figures, library research, social experiences. However, the strongest forms of evidence are going to come from peer reviewed social science journals. Less convincing is evidence marshaled from newspapers, news outfits, networks, magazines, and websites. When deciding on whether a source is reputable, follow typical conventions – major news outlets are considered more reputable than alternative media, but that doesn’t necessarily mean more correct, it means that less reputable resources require more and better evidence and argumentation if used as a source. Least convincing is personal social experiences.

CITING YOUR SOURCES:

Make sure to provide citations for your evidence using the Chicago Manual of Style Format – Within the text cite like this: (Author, Date).

On Your Reference Page, your citations should look like this:

Author. Date. “Title of Article”, Title of Source. URL (if applicable). Publishing Company (if applicable).

APA style citation/referencing is also acceptable.

Quotations should never run for more than four sentences. The main point should be articulated in your own words with quotations merely providing support. Cite ideas as well. Cite any sources that have informed your work in any way. You can never go wrong by citing as much as possible while utilizing as many sources as possible.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

The Role of Demographic Transitions in Shaping Contemporary China
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Instructor’s Name
Date
Introduction
The field of demography has long been interested in how societies evolve. One key concept that has emerged in recent decades is demographic transitions, which encompass the shifts in birth, death, and migration rates as societies develop (Galor, 2011). Within this framework, researchers often focus on the importance of cohorts—groups of people who, because they were born within a certain period, tend to share similar characteristics or experiences. Understanding how these cohorts differ from one another and how they contribute to larger societal changes is a vital part of understanding demographic transitions more broadly. This paper will apply these theories and processes to the case of China, examining the cultural and social differences that have emerged across the last three generations. Specifically, it will address how demographic transitions have shaped the experiences of the "old," "middle," and "new" ages in China and how these cohorts differ from one another in terms of values, behaviors, and expectations. By exploring these topics, this paper aims to comprehensively understand the role demographic transitions have played in shaping contemporary Chinese society.[Oded Galor, “The Demographic Transition: Causes and Consequences,” Cliometrica 6, no. 1 (February 17, 2011): 1–28, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11698-011-0062-7.]
Application of demographic transition theory to China and the impact of the One-Child Policy
The demographic transition theory posits that countries move through different stages of population growth as they develop economically. As societies shift from pre-industrial to industrial, birth rates decline, death rates drop, and population growth stabilizes. This process can account for some of the social and cultural differences between generations in China. The older generation in China, born before the country's rapid economic development in the late 1970s, typically experienced higher birth and death rates. The aging generation often lived in rural areas, where larger families were beneficial for labor purposes. Social and cultural norms reflected this reality; for example, the eldest son was often expected to care for his parents in old age. However, in the late 1970s, China enacted the One-Child Policy to curb rapid population growth. This policy, which limited most families to one child, dramatically impacted social and cultural norms. As a result, the middle generation in China often grew up as only children. This generation also experienced a decline in mortality rates as healthcare improved. This generation came of age during a time of rapid economic development, and many members of this generation moved to urban areas in search of economic opportunities. The experience of the middle generation is markedly different from the older generation in terms of family size, living environment, and access to resources. The youngest generation in China has grown up in a time when the One-Child Policy has been relaxed, and families are now allowed to have two children. This generation is experiencing continued economic development and further improvements in healthcare and education. Social and cultural norms for this generation are also changing; for example, the younger generation is more likely to be exposed to Western influences and less likely to adhere to traditional expectations around family roles. Overall, the demographic transition theory helps to explain some of the social and cultural differences between generations in China. The One-Child Policy has further shaped these differences, creating a unique middle generation of only children who experienced a different upbringing than the older and younger generations.[Oded Galor (2011)] [World Health Organization, “China Country Assessment Report on Ageing and Health,” 2015, https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/194271/9789241509312_eng.pdf.] [Junsen Zhang, “The Evolution of China’s One-Child Policy and Its Effects on Family Outcomes,” Journal of Economic Perspectives 31, no. 1 (February 2017): 141–60, https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.31.1.141.] [Frank F. Furstenberg, “Family Change in Global Perspective: How and Why Family Systems Change,” Family Relations 68, no. 3 (May 23, 2019): 326–41, https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12361.]
Changes in fertility rates and life expectancy and their impact on family structure
Over the past several decades, China's fertility rates and life expectancy have undergone significant changes. Fertility rates have decreased significantly due to several factors, including the government's "one-child policy" in effect from 1979-2015, urbanization, and the rising costs of raising children. At the same time, life expectancy has increased, thanks to health care and nutrition improvements. These changes have had several implications for family structure in China. With fewer children being born, there are more "only children" than ever before, which can lead to different dynamics in the family unit. The decrease in fertility rates has also contributed to the "4-2-1" family structure, where two parents and four grandparents support one child. With grandparents living longer, they often play a more active role in raising their grandchildren and are more likely to live with their children and grandchildren. Overall, changes in fertility rates and life expectancy in China have led to fewer children in each family but more generations living together under one roof.[Wang Feng, Baochang Gu, and Yong Cai, “The End of China’s One-Child Policy,” Studies in Family Planning 47, no. 1 (March 2016): 83–86, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1728-4465.2016.00052.x.] [Jing Zhang, Tom Emery, and Pearl Dykstra, “Grandparenthood in China and Western Europe: An Analysis of CHARLS and SHARE,” Advances in Life Course Research 45 (November 2018): 100257, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2018.11.003.]
Economic development and the varied opportunities it has created for different generations
China's rapid economic development has significantly changed different generations' lives. For older generations, who experienced Mao's rule and the Cultural Revolution, the opportunities created by the economic reforms in the late 1970s and early 1980s offered new opportunities for upward mobility. Many started their businesses or took advantage of the privatization of state-owned enterprises and achieved wealth and status that would have been impossible under the earlier system. For the younger generations, the opportunities are more varied. For some, growing up in an era of rapid economic growth has meant unprecedented opportunities for education and employment. They can pursue career paths in technology, finance, and other high-growth sectors that were unavailable to their parents. Some have b...
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