Week Fourteen: Asia
(Study Questions)
Monica Das Gupta & P. N. Mari Bhat. 1997. Fertility decline and increased manifestation of sex bias in India.
- How does the "parity" effect influence excess female mortality when birth rates fall? Why does this happen?
- How does the "intensification" effect influence excess female mortality when birth rates fall? Why does this happen?
- In India and China, has the "parity" or the "intensification" effect been stronger? How has this affected trends in female mortality relative to male mortality?
Naohiro Ogawa & Robert D. Retherford. 1997. Shifting costs of caring for the elderly back to families in Japan: will it work?
- What is the difference between the Employees Pension Scheme and the National Pension scheme? What is happening to their contribution/payment balance in Japan in the near future?
- How will the share of "oldest old" (over 85) in Japan change in coming decades, and how will this affect government medical care programs?
- What specific programs/legislation are Japan's leaders considering for shifting costs of caring for the elderly to family members?
- How are trends in coresidence, labor force participation and attitudes about caring for the elderly affecting the ability of Japanese families to meet the hopes of the government?
Zai Liang & Zhongdong Ma. 2004. China's floating population: new evidence from the 2000 Census.
- How do Liang and Ma define China's inter-county "floating" population, and how big is it? (Give both total population numbers and percent of China's population.)
- Where is the main destination for China's floating population, and what role do social networks play in this population movement?
- Describe the difference in educational backgrounds of China's "floating" population compared to permanent, legally registered migrants.