One of the major challenges facing the world today is the interaction between demographic changes and development. Rather than the usual view that the population itself is the main problem, Population and Development Issues argues that it is just one factor among many others, such as poverty, illiteracy, poor health, unemployment, the condition of women and climate change. This book analyzes the relationships between the key demographic variables (fertility, morbidity and mortality, migration, etc.) and major development issues, notably education, employment, health, gender, social and geographical inequalities and climate concerns. Bringing together contributions from specialists across every field, it presents empirical data simply and clearly alongside theoretical reflections.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Population in the Development Paradigm xi Yves CHARBIT Chapter 1 The Precursors: The Mercantilists, Malthus, Marx 1 Yves CHARBIT 1.1 Theories and doctrines 1 1.2 Mercantilism, the population doctrine and policy of royal power 2 1.2.1 Mercantilism and the modern state 2 1.2.2 A populationist doctrine 4 1.2.3 The inevitable historical decline of mercantilism 5 1.3 Malthus, the theorist of demo-economic growth 6 1.3.1 The consequences of demographic dynamics: poverty or increased agricultural production? 6 1.3.2 Demo-economic growth, industrialization and well-being 9 1.3.3 The political instrumentalization of demography in the past and in our days 11 1.4 Marx yesterday and today 12 1.4.1 Precarious labor in the agricultural sector 15 1.4.2 The relevance of Marx 16 1.5 Conclusion 18 1.6 References 19 Chapter 2 Education, Population and Development 23 Nicole BELLA and Yves CHARBIT 2.1 Introduction 23 2.2 Education statistics and demography 24 2.2.1 Enrollment in primary education 25 2.2.2 Enrollment in secondary education 25 2.2.3 Higher education, still a luxury despite its expansion 29 2.2.4 Girls, the major beneficiaries of educational progress over the last decades 30 2.2.5 Education and demography in Asia 32 2.3 Education, population and development 43 2.3.1 Education and long-term economic growth 43 2.3.2 Education and social development 44 2.3.3 Education and politics 45 2.3.4 Education and conflict: a complex relationship 46 2.3.5 Education and urbanization 47 2.4 Conclusion: education and demography 48 2.5 References 48 Chapter 3 Employment and the Informal Economy 53 Jacques CHARMES 3.1 Introduction 53 3.2 The concept of informal economy and its assessment methods 54 3.2.1 The evolution of concepts 55 3.2.2 The evolution of measurements 57 3.2.3 The extent of employment in the informal economy worldwide 58 3.3 Long-term employment trends in the informal economy in Northern Africa 60 3.3.1 A wide variety of approaches 60 3.3.2 The current situation 64 3.4 Conclusion: which transition policies from the informal to the formal economy? 72 3.5 References 74 Chapter 4 Gender Inequalities 77 Serge RABIER 4.1 Current theories and debates 77 4.2 Health and reproductive rights at the heart of demography: economic investment and anthropological breakthroughs 78 4.2.1 Global data 78 4.2.2 Infant and maternal health 79 4.2.3 HIV-AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases 81 4.2.4 The emergence of new challenges related to the epidemiological transition 81 4.2.5 Gender stereotypes and patriarchy 82 4.2.6 Anthropological discrimination 83 4.2.7 Economic discrimination 84 4.2.8 Public health policies 84 4.3 Gender determinants at the heart of educational supply and demand in Africa 86 4.3.1 Primary education 87 4.3.2 Secondary education 89 4.3.3 University education 89 4.3.4 Anthropological obstacles 92 4.3.5 Institutional, economic and social obstacles 94 4.4 Conclusion 101 4.5 References 101 Chapter 5 Sex Selection: Public Policies to Balance the Scales? 105 Christophe Z GUILMOTO and Laura RAHM 5.1 Introduction 105 5.2 Prevalence and evolution of SRB trends 107 5.2.1 Sex imbalances at birth across the world 107 5.2.2 Determinants of sex imbalances at birth 109 5.3 Public policies against gender-biased sex selection 111 5.3.1 Policy evolution: from denial to recognition, to global action 111 5.3.2 Policy typology 113 5.3.3 Policy impact: evidence and knowledge gaps 116 5.4 Case study: impact of policy on the SRB in Armenia and Vietnam 117 5.4.1 Armenia 117 5.4.2 Vietnam 122 5.5 Discussion and conclusion 127 5.6 References 128 Chapter 6 Poverty and Inequalities 133 Yves CHARBIT, Mustapha OMRANE and Zakari OUMAROU 6.1 Measuring and analyzing poverty and inequalities 133 6.1.1 Defining poverty 134 6.1.2 Measuring poverty 135 6.2 The evolution of poverty 137 6.2.1 Means of subsistence around 2015 137 6.2.2 The evolution of extreme poverty in the world 138 6.2.3 Health and poverty 139 6.3 Poverty in Niger 144 6.3.1 The sociodemographic characteristics of households 146 6.3.2 Poverty and the labor market 148 6.3.3 Food insecurity in 2011 149 6.4 Conclusion: toward a new poverty indicator? 152 6.5 References 153 Chapter 7 Mental Health: An Underestimated Development Issue 155 Véronique PETIT 7.1 Introduction 155 7.2 Inclusion of mental health in overall health 156 7.2.1 Genealogy of an international mobilization 156 7.2.2 The global morbidity burden 158 7.2.3 Lack of mobilization and investment in mental health 160 7.2.4 The costs of mental disorders 163 7.2.5 Mental health in the demographic and epidemiological transitions 165 7.3 Senegal, an emblematic case of the situation in African countries 167 7.3.1 Colonial heritage: the Fann school 167 7.3.2 The care supply: insufficient and unevenly distributed 171 7.3.3 Therapeutic pathways and adherence to treatment 174 7.4 Conclusion: a fight that still has to be waged 176 7.5 References 177 Chapter 8 Migration Remittances and Development 183 Serge FELD 8.1 Introduction 183 8.2 Volume and trends in remittance movements 184 8.2.1 The global level 184 8.2.2 The regional level and the national level 187 8.3 The consequences for households: poverty, health, education 195 8.3.1 Poverty reduction 195 8.3.2 Poverty reduction 197 8.3.3 Consumption expenditure or investment? A false dilemma 198 8.3.4 Health and education 201 8.4 Conclusion: remittances, a development policy instrument 204 8.5 References 205 Chapter 9 Climate Change and Demography 213 Sabine HENRY 9.1 Introduction 213 9.2 Climate change as analyzed by the IPCC 214 9.2.1 The IPCC approach 214 9.2.2 Summary of the main results of IPCC reports 216 9.2.3 The geography of climate change impact 217 9.2.4 Scenarios for the future 218 9.3 The impacts of climate change on demographic factors 220 9.3.1 Fertility and its inevitable inertia 221 9.3.2 Climate-related mortality and morbidity 223 9.3.3 Environmental migrations: a problem to be solved or a solution to be explored? 226 9.4 Trapped populations 229 9.5 Conclusion 232 9.6 References 233 Chapter 10 Population Policies 237 John F MAY 10.1 Introduction 237 10.2 Population policies: processes and mechanisms 240 10.2.1 Goals and values 240 10.2.2 Demographic data and variables amenable to interventions 241 10.2.3 Policy levers and instruments 242 10.2.4 Population policy process 243 10.2.5 Policy actors and stakeholders 244 10.2.6 Policies, priorities and methods 246 10.2.7 Funding and monitoring and evaluation 247 10.3 Population policies: empirical evidence 248 10.3.1 Asia: China, Indonesia and Iran 249 10.3.2 Sub-Saharan Africa 252 10.3.3 More developed countries 253 10.4 Conclusion 255 10.5 References 257 Conclusion: Is Population Really the Problem? 261 Yves CHARBIT List of Authors 279 Index 281