The discipline of demography, much like the population processes which comprise its focus, changes theoretically, methodologically, and substantively as the world's populations respond to internal and external forces. These disciplinary shifts are often identified and examined by demographers in academic journals and at annual population studies conferences. Demography in Transition is a compilation of seven studies presented by demographers at the Southwestern Sociological Association's 2005 Annual Meeting. The works selected for this volume provide unique insight into complex demographic issues, as well as highlight many of the growing foci in the discipline. There has been a movement in demographic research towards focusing on understanding population processes for more heterogeneous, rather than homogenous, populations. This movement has resulted in an increase in research concentrating on outcomes dependent on gender, race, and ethnicity. Changes in population structures within the United States have resulted in another notable disciplinary focus. Aging populations, altering family structures, and a rise in Asian and Latino immigration to the U.S. have all attributed to novel areas of research for demographers. These timely issues, and their intersections, are central to the research explored in the chapters contained in this volume. In their chapters, these demographers examine the manner in which race and ethnicity affect access to heath care; the consequences and concerns associated with an aging population; the factors affecting Asian migration patterns; and the demographic implications of changing family structures. These chapters provide a glimpse into the current insights provided by demographic research, as well as directions for its future.
About the Author: Amanda K. Baumle, J.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Houston. She specializes in demography, social inequality, and the sociology of law. Prior to obtaining her Ph.D. in sociology at Texas A&M University, she earned a J.D. from the University of Texas and practiced labor and employment law. Her current research explores issues involving the demography of sexual orientation, labor demography, and gender inequality in the legal practice. In these areas, she has published a variety of books, articles, and book chapters examining issues of inequality and discrimination, as well as the manner in which the law might be activated as a means to challenge existing inequalities. She recently completed a coauthored book, The Demography of Sexual Orientation, which draws on 2000 U.S. Census data to examine the manner in which sexual orientation affects a variety of demographic processes.