Economic History: Population and Living Standards

<p>How does population growth affect living standards - and vice versa? This course helps you understand the long-term relationship between demographic change and economic development, using theory and data.</p><p>Population and Living Standards explores how demographic shifts - such as fertility, mortality, marriage and migration - interact with economic conditions over time. You’ll study how these relationships have shaped both developed and developing countries, using theory and empirical research.</p><p>The course begins with a broad overview of the population debate over the past 50 years, tracing its intellectual roots and key ideas. You’ll examine how population growth affects economic, social and environmental development - and how living standards influence demographic behaviour.</p><p>You’ll also explore how living standards vary across social groups, and how short-term economic fluctuations impact population dynamics. In the second part of the course, you’ll learn how to use data and econometric methods to study these complex relationships.</p><p>Whether you’re interested in development, history, or policy, this course gives you the tools to understand how people and economies shape each other.<br/></p>