290163 VU Population Dynamics in Africa (2018W)

The course on Population Dynamics in Africa is expected to familiarize students with the population situations in Africa, the unique nature African fertility, mortality and marriage patterns and its effect on population growth and structure in the region and at global level. Students will learn how analyse and understand the dynamic situations of African population and relate the African realities with global development initiatives from socio-cultural, economic, political and ecological perspectives.

At the end of the course, the students should be able to critically discuss the nature and situations of African demography, and interpret existing policies, programs, research finding documents, graphs and data accurately and apply their academic knowledge to real world events.

Key issues of African fertility, morbidity, mortality, marriage and family formation systems and trends along with their specific data sources and problems associated with the African population data will be discussed jointly. In addition, the causes and determinants of African fertility, mortality and marriage patterns and structures will be reviewed and discussed. The course concludes by assessing the past, present and future situations of African population and the implications of Africa’s rapid population growth on the socio-economic development of the region and the global world.