The literature of demography; its characteristics and changes over time

Abstract

Changes in the characteristics of the demographic literature between 1964 and 1984 are reviewed by means of a statistical comparison of the entries in Population Index for the subjects pertaining to population movements: fertility, (including fertil ity controls), mortality, nuptiality and migrations. The number of studies on interrelations between demography and economic or non-economic variables declined drastically. A similar de cline in historical demography (and possibly also in regional studies) may be due to changes in editonal policy. The share of mortality studies from developing countnes increased consider ably. The percentage of publications in English is increasing. There was a marked growth in the percentage of reports of various kinds, matched by a sharp drop in the number of books published. Tentative explanations for some of these seemingly surpnsing trends are offered; they involve the con traceptive revolution, the development of epidemiological re search, the improvement in the quality of vital data in develop ing countries, the nsing cost of book production, and the increasing use of the English language in foreign journals.