Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons^™

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Pittsfield, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan, Mayara Fontes, Michael Berardino

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Pittsfield. It reflects a commitment by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy to provide periodic updates on the Latino population in Massachusetts.

The report on Pittsfield is part of a larger series that covers cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with a significant population of Latinos. This report analyzes data from the 2008-2012 American Community Survey (ACS), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. We obtained the data from the American Factfinder website in tabular form and transformed …

Does Being An Only Child Affect The Attitudes Of Chinese Students?, Yuwei Wei

Senior Theses

Three decades has passed since China started implementing regulations and policies for population control. Today, the ever-famous “One-Child Policy” is starting to not only lose its popularity, but also its effectiveness in spurring economic growth. This paper will discuss the heavy social cost the last generation had to pay for the growth of economy and the slowing down of population growth, as well as the challenges in social adaptation young adults face today. As part of the literature review, this paper examines the issue of the “Upside down pyramid” and analyzes the family planning policy’s impact on China’s demography. The …

Immigration To Manchester, New Hampshire, Sally Ward, Justin R. Young, Curt D. Grimm

Carsey Publications

This brief analyzes immigration and refugee resettlement in Manchester and the effects on the city’s demographic composition, as well as the implications for its future. Authors Sally Ward, Justin Young, and Curt Grimm report that Manchester, New Hampshire, like the nation, is experiencing a new wave of immigration. In the past, most of the city’s immigrants tended to come from Canada and Europe. Today, they are most likely from Latin America, followed by Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. The rate of refugee placement in Manchester has remained relatively steady since the 1990s. Of all refugees who arrived in …

All That Sprawl, Y’All: An Analysis Of Development On Steinwehr Avenue And York Street In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, From 1971 To 2014, Elizabeth K. Emmons, Kalley S. Hansel, Daly Simpson

Student Publications

The advent of the automobile transformed the American landscape in the 20th century. In conjunction with the increasing importance of the automobile, numerous post-WW II government programs such as the Interstate Highway System encouraged suburban sprawl. Towns and cities adjacent to tourist attractions, known as gateway communities, face unique problems caused by sprawl. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is an example of a gateway community as it includes the Gettysburg National Military Park. Two study sites, portions of Steinwehr Avenue and York Street, were studied to analyze the effects of sprawl in Gettysburg. The sites were analyzed using ArcGIS, data compiled from historic …

December-May: Exploring A “New” Chinese Marriage Pattern, Kepei Miao

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

in relationships besides age for both men and women, and less concern from parents and friends about the age difference.

Although this marriage pattern in China has been dramatized and labeled “brand new”, I contend that this pattern is partly a continuation of the older Chinese marriage system of concubines in this era. An environment of labeling and the cultural attraction to spectacles and megaspectacles both contribute to raising considerable attention to this marriage pattern. I also question the conclusion that that people, especially women, are now given more choices regarding partner selections.

The Increasing Diversity Of America's Youth, Kenneth M. Johnson, Andrew P. Schaefer, Daniel T. Lichter, Luke T. Rogers

Carsey Publications

This brief documents how unfolding demographic forces have placed today’s children and youth at the forefront of America’s new racial and ethnic diversity. Authors Kenneth M. Johnson, Andrew Schaefer, Daniel T. Lichter, and Luke T. Rogers discuss how the rapidly changing racial and ethnic composition of the youth population has important implications for intergroup relations, ethnic identities, and electoral politics. They report that diversity is increasing among America’s youth because there are more minority children and fewer non-Hispanic white children. Minority births exceeded non-Hispanic white births for the first time in U.S. history in 2011 according to Census Bureau estimates. …

Using Census Bureau Data For Current And Historical Gis Research, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides examples of how geographic information system (GIS) data can be used to conduct historical and contemporary research using Census Bureau data and mapping and other resources. Such data and mapping can enhance understanding of historical and contemporary subjects in a multidisciplinary variety of topics.

Household Ecology And Out-Migration Among Ethnic Karen Along The Thai-Myanmar Border, Daniel M. Parker, James W. Wood, Shinsuke Tomita, Sharon Dewitte, Julia Jennings, Liwang Cui

Anthropology Faculty Scholarship

Local migration in developing-world settings, particularly among rural populations, is an important yet understudied demographic process. Research on migration in such populations can help us test and inform anthropological and demographic theory. Furthermore, it can lead to a better understanding of modern population distributions and epidemiologic landscapes.

Employment And Economic Development In Southern Nevada, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Wealth influences a person’s health. People who are higher on the socioeconomic scale tend to have better health outcomes. To improve the health of a community, it is important to understand the employment opportunities of the people living in the community.

Southern Nevada’s economy was hit hard between 2008 and 2012. Unemployment rates in the region exceeded national and peer regions between during this time period. Construction; leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation and utilities; and professional and business service sectors experienced the greatest job loss during the recession. The Education and Health Services sectors did not experience a decrease in …

Healthcare Access And Health Outcomes In Southern Nevada, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

In a publication from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, it was recognized that a person’s zip code was a more important predictor of health than their genetic code. Where we live influences not only our access to health care, but other health indicators as well. Clark County has a low primary care physician to population ratio compared to other counties in Nevada and in the US. Clark County also has highest rates of uninsured in the Mountain West and among the highest in the nation.

Southern Nevada fared worse than other Mountain West Metropolitan areas in health indicators and preventative …

Demographic Makeup And Population Projections For Southern Nevada: Understanding The Emerging Healthcare Needs In Our Community, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Shawn Gerstenberger

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Even with a leveling-off of population growth from 2008 to 2011, Southern Nevada had one of the fastest growing populations in the nation over the past decade. While population growth is projected to increase for the next ten years, the rate of growth will be slower than in the past decade. The Hispanic population, as a percentage of the total population, is projected to surpass the White population somewhere near the year 2030. The Southern Nevada population is aging, as the median age in the region increased between 2000 and 2010. The 65+ age group is projected to increase as …

Jesus Lives, But Should He Live In My Front Yard?, Christin N. Taylor

English Faculty Publications

As I drove home from church, I eyed the bright foam sign my 6-year-old daughter held. “Jesus is Alive” it read in kid scrawl. “We’re supposed to put them in our yards!” Noelle beamed, eyeing her creation proudly through pink-rimmed glasses.

I imagined our wide, open yard in Pennsylvania, the green grass stretching without fences from one neighbor to the next. Our best friends in the neighborhood, secular humanists, would easily see it. I cringed. What would they think? [excerpt]

Quick Facts About South Omaha, Office Of Latino/Latin American Studies (Ollas)

Latino/Latin American Studies Other Publications

Quick facts about South Omaha, produced by OLLAS for the Midwest Sociological Society (MSS) Annual Meetings, which took place at the Hilton Omaha, Thursday, April 3 - Saturday, April 5. The MSS hosted a tour of South Omaha on Saturday, April 5 from 9:30-11:00am.

Diverse And Resilient: Insights Into The Demography, Quality Of Life, And Gender-Related Life Experiences Of Transgender Wisconsin Residents, Claire Van Fossen

Professional Projects

The purpose of this study was to describe the demography, quality of life, and genderrelated life experiences of Wisconsin’s transgender residents. For this mixed-methods pilot study, a snowball sampling technique was used to recruit transgender Wisconsin residents (n=29) to complete an anonymous online survey that included demographic measures, quality of life measures, and free response questions on experiences related to respondents’ gender in specific contexts. The original survey instrument was modeled on similar reliability and validity-tested instruments and was field-tested before being used. Descriptive analysis was used to interpret demographic and quality of life data and thematic content analysis was …

Ayllu,Migracion Politica Desde Abajo En Bolivia: Perspectivas Desde El Ayllu Bombo, Oruro, Lucas Rénique

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Este proyecto consta de una investigación acerca del ayllu hoy en día. Los ayllus son gobiernos-agrupaciones familiares, sociales, económicas y culturales con una base territorial que persisten desde antes del imperio Incaico en la región andina de Bolivia y Perú. El estudio se enfoca en el ayllu Bombo, un ayllu en proceso de reconstrucción con territorio en la Provincia Dalence, Oruro pero cuyos miembros en su mayoría radican en la mina Huanuni, Cochabamba, El Alto y otros lugares de Bolivia y el mundo. Intento entender la naturaleza de las transformaciones socio-políticas en este ayllu ocasionadas por la migración y extractivismo …

"Growing It My Way": A Qualitative Analysis Of Rural Organic Growers, David Adam Sizemore

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Morehead State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Sociology by David Adam Sizemore on April, 2014

Limits To Literacy: The Perceived Relationship Between Functional Literacy And Political Empowerment Amongst The Forest-Dwelling Van Gujjars, Nicola Soekoe

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The failure of countrywide basic literacy campaigns to enhance social mobility has led to the promotion and development of localized, comprehensive functional literacy campaigns. These campaigns are particularly applicable to marginalized groups; as they aim to empower communities by providing them with the necessary skills to navigate their socioeconomic and political environments. This qualitative study examines the long-term impact of one such functional literacy campaign on the semi-nomadic pastoral Van Gujjar community. I use the Assets, Opportunity Structure, and Degrees of Empowerment (DOE) method to investigate community members’ perceptions of the level of political empowerment that followed their participation in …

Social Distance In The United States: Sex, Race, Religion, Age, And Education Homophily Among Confidants, 1985 To 2004, Jeffrey A. Smith, Miller Mcpherson, Lynn Smith-Lovin

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Homophily, the tendency for similar actors to be connected at a higher rate than dissimilar actors, is a pervasive social fact. In this article, we examine changes over a 20-year period in two types of homophily—the actual level of contact between people in different social categories and the level of contact relative to chance. We use data from the 1985 and 2004 General Social Surveys to ask whether the strengths of five social distinctions—sex, race/ethnicity, religious affiliation, age, and education—changed over the past two decades in core discussion networks. Changes in the actual level of homophily are driven by the …

Imagined Communities: Changing Markets And The Implications For 21st Century Mali China Migration, Mamasa Camara

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the last decade there has been a huge increase in engagement between China and Africa across all fronts of foreign relations especially in the realms of trade, finance and migration. As China continues to push into Africa in pursuit of economic resources and diplomatic relations, many Africans are migrating to China and specifically Guangzhou in search of economic opportunity backed by cheap labor markets and the prospects for “low end globalization.”As the contemporary African presence in China is a relatively new phenomenon, so are the discourses surrounding its presence, discourses often relegated to the spheres of economics, boasting China …

Creole & Multiracial (Research Report #122), Michael Cope, Nile Patterson, Mark Schafer, Dari Green, Amanda Cowley, Troy Blanchard

LSU AgCenter Research Reports

This is the eighth in this series of reviews. This review focuses primarily on the Creoles. It also describes some multiracial groups with a historical presence, as well as the current trends in multiracial identity in the Gulf of Mexico region. Concentrated in coastal Louisiana, Creoles represent one of the larger and more well-known multiracial (or mixed-race) groups that have long histories in the region.