22 Best Books on Demography

“Elements of Demography” Book Review: This textbook is intended for M.A and M.Com students from all Indian universities and provides a comprehensive and clear overview of the field of demography. The book covers the definition, nature, scope, importance, origin, and development of demography, as well as the measurement of mortality and fertility, population projection and estimation, census, migration, life tables, and economic development. The book also discusses various population theories, including the Malthusian theory and the theory of demographic transition. The populations of several countries are examined, including India, Great Britain, Japan, the United States of America, China, Sri Lanka, and Russia. A unit dedicated to the population of India provides detailed analysis of trends and differentials in mortality and fertility rate, composition, qualitative aspects, and occupational structure of the population. Each chapter includes examination questions to help students test their understanding and prepare for examinations.

“Social Demography” Book Review: This textbook offers a balanced blend of theoretical and conceptual frameworks for analyzing population phenomena. It provides comprehensive coverage of social phenomena, such as fertility, mortality, migration, growth, composition, and distribution of population, and how they relate to the concept of demography. The book offers an introduction to demography and various methods of data collection, and is written in a student-friendly style. It provides an in-depth understanding of population theories, population growth in India, composition, distribution, and development of Indian population, and population policy of India. This book is suitable for students and scholars of sociology, demography, economics, political science, anthropology, and development studies. Each chapter ends with a summary, exercises, and questions to help readers gain a bird’s-eye view of the content.

“Medical Statistics and Demography Made-Easy” Book Review: This book delves into the concepts of vital statistics, statistical methods in epidemiology, and health information, as well as general statistical methods and formulas. It comes with a CD-ROM that demonstrates various techniques used in medical statistics. The text contains worked-out examples of medical problems, making it an ideal resource for research students seeking to understand the computational part of research work. Each chapter ends with about 300 multiple-choice questions and 50 unsolved questions, helping students gain a better understanding of the concepts and prepare for exams. This comprehensive text is an invaluable tool for students and researchers in the field of medical statistics.

“Demography and Population Problems” Book Review: This textbook provides a comprehensive understanding of demography, social demography, population studies, and vital statistics in India, catering to the needs of students and teachers. It is written in a simple and easily understandable manner, with Indian examples. Genuine data is presented analytically, providing a holistic approach to disputed issues. It covers topics such as theories of population, demographic data, growth and trends of world population, characteristics of Indian population, mortality, fertility, migration, urbanization, labor force, unemployment, population problems, family planning, welfare, and policies. Questions and exercises are provided at the end of each chapter to test the level of understanding and aid in exam preparation.

“The Demography of Armed Conflict” Book Review: This book contains 16 articles by researchers from various fields such as demography, sociology, economics, and law, which are categorized into three sections. It offers a contemporary understanding of how armed conflicts are caused and their demographic consequences, including migration, ethnicity, population growth, and youth bulges. The book also delves into the aftermath of conflict, such as mortality and casualty estimation for war crimes prosecutions. Through case studies of conflicts in different regions, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda, it highlights the need for further research in this area.

“Reproductive Health Demography of Tribal Women in Assam” Book Review: This text presents a demographic study of the reproductive health of two major tribes living in the eastern region of Assam. It provides poll-based data collected from grassroots level, presenting details on the reproductive activity and health of tribal women. It is one of the first studies of its kind globally. The book covers issues faced by married tribal women, mission failures, and the magnitude of the problem waiting to be addressed in the future. It also discusses the challenges ahead to achieve the goal of a healthy nation. The book ends with questions to help readers understand the complex health problems faced by these women.

“Fundamentals of Demography” Book Review: This textbook is a comprehensive and accessible resource for graduate courses on population dynamics. It is also suitable for undergraduate students seeking a clear introduction to the basics of demography. The book covers various topics, including population change due to fertility, mortality, and migration, as well as the impact of population size on the environment and related global challenges. The text includes numerous examples and illustrations to aid understanding, along with questions and exercises at the end of each chapter.

“Statistical Demography and Forecasting (Springer Series in Statistics)” Book Review: This book offers an accessible introduction to the challenges of demography, using a statistical approach to examine issues such as population forecasting and accuracy of estimates. The text covers classical mathematical demography, event history methods, multi-state methods, and stochastic population forecasting, among other topics. Practical applications are presented from the US and Europe, and the book includes an overview of classical methods and recent developments. The text assumes knowledge of differential and integral calculus, matrix algebra, basic probability theory, and regression analysis. Chapters cover topics such as demographic data sources, sampling, regression models, and decision analysis.

“An Econometric Analysis of Individual Unemployment Duration in West Germany (Studies in Contemporary Economics)” Book Review: This book is aimed at students, economists, researchers, and scientists, exploring the significance of microeconomics and the application of hazard rate concepts. The text delves into socio-economic panels, offering both theoretical and practical insights into econometric analysis. Each chapter includes solved examples, exercises, and short questions to enhance understanding.

“Stochastic Process in Demography and Applications” Book Review: This book is intended for students, researchers, and scientists seeking a deeper understanding of mathematical demography. Topics covered include modern stochastic processes and renewal theory, with both theoretical and practical applications explored. Each chapter includes solved examples, exercises, and short questions to aid comprehension.

“Dynamic Modelling of Stochastic Demand for Manufacturing Employment (Lecture Notes in Economics and Mathematical Systems)” Book Review: This book explores the modelling of stochastic demand for manufacturing employment. It focuses on linear rational expectation models and includes both theoretical and practical applications of stochastic demand. Each chapter is accompanied by solved examples, exercises, and short questions to enhance understanding.

“Biodemography of Aging: Determinants of Healthy Life Span and Longevity (The Springer Series on Demographic Methods and Population Analysis)” Book Review: This book delves into age trajectory analysis, general populations, and incidence/age patterns. It also explores individual aging properties and statistical analyses of longitudinal data sets. The book focuses on understanding the connections between aging and human health. Each chapter includes solved examples, exercises, and short questions to reinforce comprehension.

“Exploring the Health State of a Population by Dynamic Modeling Methods (The Springer Series on Demographic Methods and Population Analysis)” Book Review: This book is designed for students, researchers, industrialists, and scientists interested in the health state of populations. It covers stochastic modeling techniques and the derivation and classification of human development stages. The book balances theoretical content with practical applications, including solved examples, exercises, and short questions at each chapter’s end. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the subject, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking to deepen their knowledge of the topic.

“Anthropological Demography” Book Review: This book is a specialized resource within demography that employs anthropological theory to gain a better understanding of demographic phenomena in past and current populations. It serves as a foundation for comprehending the genetic differentiation among human populations, while also linking bio-cultural, socio-economic, and political changes. The book analyzes how populations can sustain with specific development plans and covers fertility and mortality levels and determinants among small tribal groups in Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, it includes crucial data on socio-economic factors, population characteristics, obstetric information, life course events, fertility rates, and mortality rates.

“Culture, Biology, and Anthropological Demography (New Perspectives on Anthropological and Social Demography)” Book Review: The book offers a comprehensive guide for individuals working in the fields of cultural and biological anthropology, sociology, demography, and history. It aims to reconcile anthropological demography with human evolutionary ecology by identifying shared research topics and constructing a broad theoretical framework that considers both cultural and biological factors. The book’s methods are used to investigate demographic strategies across various cultural and temporal contexts, including African pastoralist societies and North American post-industrial societies. This book is a valuable resource for those interested in the intersection of anthropology, ecology, and demography.

“Anthropological Demography – Toward a New Synthesis (Paper) (Population and Development Series)” Book Review: This book aims to bridge the gap between demography and anthropology by exploring their historical relationship and addressing major issues and controversies in anthropological demography. It examines the demographic implications of diverse family and kinship systems and explores the influence of cultural, gender, and identity theories on population studies. Furthermore, it discusses the limitations of quantitative approaches in demographic studies and provides demographers’ perspectives on the limitations of anthropological methods. This comprehensive resource provides valuable insights for researchers, students, and professionals interested in multidisciplinary approaches to demographic phenomena.

“The Methods and Uses of Anthropological Demography (International Studies in Demography)” Book Review: This book is a comprehensive guide for anthropologists and demographers, providing essential methods of anthropological demography and discussing its strengths and limitations. It features contributions from leading figures in both fields, highlighting the importance of a shared plan to avoid marginalization and ensure successful progress for each discipline. By presenting the emerging field of Anthropological Demography, this book emphasizes the necessity of collaboration between anthropology and demography and offers valuable insights for researchers in both fields.

“Pre-Transitional Populations: Historical and Anthropological Demography” Book Review: This book presents a comprehensive account of periods of expansion, detailing the obstacles that have influenced the direction of growth, divided into biological and environmental factors. It provides insights into determining the rate of demographic growth and outlines the mechanisms that can restore equilibrium to population growth. The book also explores the diverse family and household structures in different societies. By offering a thorough examination of these topics, this book provides valuable information for researchers seeking to understand population dynamics and the factors that shape them.

“Population Studies and Development from Theory to Fieldwork (Demographic Transformation and Socio-Economic Development)” Book Review: This book addresses significant population and development issues, such as fertility and reproductive health, migration, gender, and education. It also delves into poverty and inequalities, exploring how culture shapes socio-demographic behaviors. The book examines the interactions between individuals, families, networks, and local communities, offering insights into how these dynamics impact population trends. By providing a comprehensive overview of these topics, this book offers a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers seeking to understand the complex interplay between population and development.