Religion and Population Projections

This assignment asks students to critique the argument presented in a Pew Report that knowledge of religious views can be used to improve human population projections. Students must develop a short argument (under 300 words) against this claim, addressing specific statements from the article and citing relevant evidence. The assignment also requires analyzing data on world population growth from the UN's 'World Population Prospects' report and evaluating two key facts used by Olivier de Schutter in his conclusion that Canada was violating the right to food.

1. “When demographers attempt to forecast changes in the size of a population, they
typically focus on four main factors: fertility rates, mortality rates (life expectancy), the
initial age profile of the population (whether it is relatively old or relatively young to
begin with) and migration. In the case of religious groups, a fifth factor is switching –
how many people choose to enter and leave each group, including how many become
unaffiliated with any religion
” http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/main-factors-driving-population-growth/
Apparently, “switching” of religious views is an underappreciated factor that can
potentially be used to improve models that forecast changes in the size of the human
population. Please read key sections of this article so that you can better appreciate the
argument/logic/evidence that is put forward in this Pew Report. Note: The weblink (see
above) takes you to Chapter Two, but you might find useful/key information in other
chapters… it would be wise to skim through the entire article before you develop your
critique.
Develop a short critique that argues against the claim that knowledge of religious views
can be used to improve human population projections. Your argument must address
specific statements made in the article, but may also include ideas, facts, arguments
that are found in other sources. Limit your argument to under 300 words and highlight 5
of your most important statements in bold. If you include graphs or data you must
clearly explain what that material shows and how it strengthens your claims. Use the
CBE citation style to cite the source of your facts/quotes/data/arguments. Citations,
Tables and/or Figures do not count towards the 300 word limit. (worth 30 points)
GO TO: https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2017_KeyFindings.pdf
The article, ‘World Population Prospects’, highlighted that the world population would continue to grow.
However, the rate of growth of world population is reducing. One of the traditional claims is that
religious view is also a factor that can explain the change in the size of the population. The traditional
view suggests that the religious view is the fifth dimension, the other four being fertility rates, mortality
rates, the initial age profile and migration. However, the contemporary view is that the knowledge of
religious views would not impact the projection of human population. One of the facts is that most of
the increase in the global population can be attributed to small number of countries in the world. It is
expected that most of the population growth would happen in the most countries of Africa where
fertility rate is more than the fertility rate of nations in rest of the world. The article also suggests that
the parameter of fertility rate is the most important determinant of world population. The second
biggest parameter could be longevity. One of the inferences from the article is that the religious view
may not have a direct impact on the population growth in the world. It is important that the policy
makers must focus on more direct parameters like fertility rate and longevity. One of the quotes or the
data point from the article is that the biggest gains of life expectancy are in the region of Africa where

the life expectancy rose by 6.6 years. In such a scenario, it would not make much sense to attribute the
world population growth to religious factor.
2. Consider the following quotes: “One in three pre-school children in the developing
world is undernourished. As a consequence, their human rights are violated.”
http://www.ifpri.org/publication/explaining-child-malnutrition-developing-countries-0
“In 2012, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter,
visited Canada to assess Canada’s progress ensuring the right to food to all Canadians. …
De Schutter’s report was dismissed by the Canadian government even while it made
headlines around the world.”
https://foodsecurecanada.org/right-food-canada#RTF
2a. List two key pieces of evidence (facts) that Olivier de Schutter used to conclude that
Canadian’s right to food was being violated. (worth 5 points)
The two key facts can be highlighted as:
i. Close to 2 million Canadians live with severe or moderate food security
ii. One in four Canadians is considered to be obese
2b. Provide two web links (e.g., to news articles, government reports, press releases)
that summarize our government’s response to his report. (worth 5 points)
The two links can be highlighted as:
i. http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/harper-cabinet-about-face-health-
minister-meets-with-un-hunger-envoy
ii. http://www.ctvnews.ca/feds-dismiss-un-envoy-s-findings-on-hunger-poor-diets-
1.824015
3. Check the accuracy of the following statements. Rewrite and correct all or part of a statement if
it is factually incorrect. Provide supporting evidence (cite sources) to support your
revisions/claims.
3a. “The UN has declared that a woman has the right to choose and decide on her sexuality and
fertility and must be free of coercion and have access family planning services and birth control.
This includes free and unfettered access to abortion.” This and many other news articles have
links to the UN source document… but this link shows Hillary Clinton’s 1995 hairdo:
http://theweek.com/articles/470330/birth-control-human-right (worth 10 points)

The statement is not correct. The correct statement would be:
he United Nations Population Fund has released an annual report in which it states that
access to birth control is an essential human right. The Population Fund's conclusions
aren't binding, and the procedures it advocates don't include abortion
12b. Over the last two decades there has been a decline in rainfall that has led to drought in the
Horn of Africa. Somalia emits negligible amount of greenhouse gases yet data show that the
drought is linked to carbon emissions and is anthropomorphic in origin. (worth 10 points)
Over the last two decades there has been a decline in rainfall that has led to drought in the Horn
of Africa. Somalia emits negligible amount of greenhouse gases yet data show that the drought
is linked to carbon emissions and is anthropomorphic in origin.
12c. Pregnant women in Somalia are better nourished than their offspring. (worth 5 points)
Pregnant women in Somalia are better nourished than their offspring