For years, people concerned about falling birth rates have warned of the economic consequences of population decline. When a country falls below replacement-level fertility, its aging population will surpass the new, younger generation, shrinking the labor force and straining the national economy with increased costs of elder care, retirement benefits and medical services.
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From 1922 to 1923, over 1.2 million Greek Orthodox migrated from Anatolia to Greece. This column examines whether the human capital decisions of refugees differ from natives, and how they continue to impact the Greek economy today.
Investing in Black Neighborhoods to Address Structural Racism’s Impact on Health
Sociologist and Demographer Courtney Boen is on a team developing a multi-level intervention strategy for Black neighborhoods in Philadelphia, in order to reduce health inequities perpetuated by structural racism.
These school districts are bucking the national math slump
In early February, seventh grade math teacher Jamie Gallimore tried something new: She watched herself teach class. The idea had come from Ed Baker, district math coach at Tennessee’s Weakley County Schools. Baker set up an iPad on a cabinet in Gallimore’s classroom at Martin Middle School and hit record.
Wildfires Devastated Their Communities. Will Californians Stay Put?
Recent research about migration patterns after the most destructive wildfires may help us predict what happens next.
Brown at PAA 2025
Every year Brown faculty, postdocs, and trainees present scholarly research papers and/or professional posters at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America. In addition, several researchers participate in the conference as chairs, panelists, or discussants. The PSTC compiles an annual list of these participants. Please consider attending sessions of our colleagues and students!
After LA fires, Latino and low-income students are hard hit by school disruptions
When catastrophic floods, fires, and hurricanes upend communities, the path of destruction they take may be random but the pain and suffering they cause is not.
Stopping Venezuela’s Exodus Hinges on Restoring Hope
The nation’s problem is still there, and appeasing Maduro will not stem the flow of migrants, two experts write.
Every Kid in America Deserves a Tutor
Here’s how to find the money to pay for it
American Lives
Steve turns to Stelios Michalopoulos for insights into the sources of meaning, happiness, and hardship in the lives of everyday Americans.
How Standardized Tests Became Part of the DEI Debate
The Trump administration’s Dear Colleague letter railed against colleges’ racial diversity initiatives. How did testing policies wind up in the mix?
Are people moving because of climate change?
We hear a lot about climate migration—the idea that people will have to move as climate change makes some places unlivable. But is this something we’re still waiting for, or is it already happening?
The Impact of Police Violence on Community Engagement and Public Trust
Economist Jesse Bruhn utilizes statistical methodologies to investigate how high-profile incidents of police brutality impact a community’s willingness to report incidents and cooperate with police departments.
The Sorry State of Women’s Health in the United States
“Girls, women, families, society, and the economy all pay a price for the gaps in knowledge about women’s health,” a new report says.
A Once-Trendy Car and the Emotions Behind Boycotts
Personal Perspective: Boycotts illustrate themes of behavioral economics.
Are Big Cities Really Richer?
A new study enters the debate over urban areas’ economic effects.
TN Republican Lawmakers Cast Latino Immigrants as a Racial and Linguistic Threat
Excluding undocumented immigrants from public schools today looks a lot like a racial removal program disguised as one based on immigration status.
The Value of Anthropological Demography
Daniel Jordan Smith Shares his Thoughts on the Relationship Between Anthropology and Demography
Combatting Hidden Career Penalties Against Women Who Provide Eldercare
More workers than ever before are caring for aging parents during the peak of their own careers. But most workplaces have not kept up with the challenges that employees are facing as the American workforce is getting older, people are living longer, and the costs of eldercare are skyrocketing.
The Perils of Ignoring Racial Equity in Disaster Relief and Recovery Are Costly
One important job of the federal government is to distribute billions of dollars to address the impacts of climate and other disasters. This function will be even more important with new executive orders that promote fossil fuels and end policies that reduce heat trapping emissions to limit the impacts of climate change.
‘The pipelines are drying up’: Why teacher salaries are catastrophic for the profession
Though salaries vary widely across districts and experience levels, salaries for young teachers tend to be particularly low, meaning that even highly educated people — with considerable subject knowledge and, often, sizable student loans — have to spend years working their way up the pay scale.
Bigger Cities Do Not Mean Much Greater Growth
Benefits of agglomeration are “surprisingly little”, NBER paper argues.