In order to understand and relate to people we need to consider the 'populations' that they come from. This course will cover contemporary population trends in developed and developing countries and identify the causes and consequences of population change.
Students will have to have covered the Introduction to Demography. They will need to be able to evaluate data and assess factors that may influence population size with regards births, deaths and migration.
This course will emphasize the importance of investigating the demographics of the society in which they are working in order to understand better how to relay the gospel message.
Gods first command to Adam and Eve was to "be fruitful and increase in number, multiply on the earth and increase upon it" (Genesis 9:v7). We will explore how todays choices with regards birth control and government legislation on number of children have affected demographic trends.
The course will help students determine the demographics of their missional area and enable them to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16 v15) in a manner appropraite to that culture/society.
Investigating contemporary demographics will enable students to evaluate the communities in which they reside and understand how global population aging, urbanisation, economic and environmental factors influence society.
This course will enable students to appreciate the need to live missionally in different cultural interfaces evaluating how population demographics influences the cultural, social and societal influences in communities.
Students will build upon their demographic knowledge to explore economic and environmental change affects demographics, the impact of migration and urbanisation and how these influence social policy and inform health.
Students will be required to explore the demographics of their chosen community/society using publically available information that will enable them to evaluate the context in which they are or plan to work.
