What traumatic event does Zitkala-Sa describe at the school?

The forcible cutting of her long hair

Why was the cutting of her hair so humiliating to Zitkala-Sa?

Among her people, shingled hair was worn by cowards and mourners

What is demography and what does it study?

Demography is the systematic study of population, examining its size, growth, composition and the patterns of births, deaths and migration within a defined territory.

Distinguish between formal and social demography.

Formal demography is a largely quantitative field concerned with measurement; social demography focuses on the social, economic and political processes that shape populations.

What is the sex ratio and why is its decline a concern in India?

The sex ratio is the number of females per 1000 males; its decline, especially the falling child sex ratio, reflects son preference and the neglect or elimination of girls.

Explain the theory of demographic transition.

It holds that population growth passes through stages: high birth and death rates, then falling death rates with high birth rates causing rapid growth, and finally low birth and death rates.

Why does the second stage of demographic transition cause rapid population growth?

Because death rates fall due to better health and nutrition while birth rates remain high, widening the gap between births and deaths.

What did Malthus argue about population growth?

That population tends to grow faster (geometrically) than the food supply (arithmetically), so positive checks like famine and disease would restore balance.

What is the demographic dividend?

The economic advantage a country gains when a large proportion of its population is of working age, provided they are healthy, educated and employed.

What is the dependency ratio and why does a falling one help an economy?

It is the ratio of dependents to working-age people; a lower ratio means more earners relative to dependents, supporting faster economic growth.

Why is India said to have a young population?

Because a large share of its people are below working age or in the early working years, giving it a high potential for future labour and growth.

How does the Census serve demographic study in India?

The Census, conducted every ten years, systematically enumerates the population, providing data on size, composition, literacy, sex ratio and other social attributes.

The Demographic Structure of the Indian Society

Class 12 Sociology · Indian Society · Chapter 2

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CBSE Class 12 · Sociology

Ch 2, 3, 5, 6: the four examined chapters

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CBSE Class 12 · Sociology

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Summary

Demography is the systematic study of population, combining the Greek words for people and description. It examines population size, growth, and the patterns of births, deaths and migration, as well as the composition of a population by sex, age and other social attributes. Formal demography is largely quantitative, while social demography studies the social, economic and political forces shaping population. The chapter explains key measures: the birth rate, death rate, rate of natural increase, fertility and infant mortality rates, the sex ratio, and the dependency ratio. The theory of demographic transition links population growth to stages of economic development — from a first stage of high birth and death rates, through a transitional stage of falling death rates with still-high birth rates (causing rapid growth), to a final stage where both rates are low. Malthus' pessimistic theory, that population grows faster than food supply, is contrasted with the view that population can be an asset. India's Census, conducted every ten years, reveals a large and youthful population, a falling but still-positive growth rate, regional variation, and a worrying decline in the child sex ratio. The chapter highlights the demographic dividend — the economic advantage of a large working-age population — and the policy challenges of literacy, health and the unequal status of women.

Key terms

Demography

The systematic study of population — its size, structure, growth and composition.

Sex ratio

The number of females per 1000 males in a population.

Demographic transition

The theory linking changes in birth and death rates to stages of economic development.

Dependency ratio

The ratio of dependent (very young and elderly) people to the working-age population.

Demographic dividend

The economic benefit from having a large share of working-age population.

Infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of children below one year per 1000 live births.

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Demography is best defined as:

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