290615 SE Theories, Concepts, Empirical Examples and Research Debates on Migration and Population Dynamics (2026S)
Population Dynamics in the Context of Global Environmental Change
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Mo 09.02.2026 08:00 to Mo 23.02.2026 08:00
- Registration is open from We 25.02.2026 08:00 to Mo 02.03.2026 08:00
- Deregistration possible until Tu 31.03.2026 23:59
Details
max. 25 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Tuesday 10.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 17.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 24.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 14.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 28.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 05.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 12.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 19.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 26.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 02.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- N Tuesday 09.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
- Tuesday 16.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum Geographie NIG 5.OG C0528
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Starting from a historical analysis of the societal backgrounds of the climate crisis, this course examines the expected effects of future population developments on its further trajectory. To this end, we will investigate the different social drivers that, over the past centuries, have led to the sharp increase in the world’s population and affluence, as well as the accompanying, ever‑growing ecological footprint that now confronts us with steadily increasing challenges in the areas of mitigation and adaptation. But humans are not only causing the climate crisis, they are also potentially the victims of changing climatic conditions and both these roles (perpetrators and victims) are by no means evenly distributed across the globe. Therefore, the concept of “differential vulnerability” will be a core component of the course and will be illustrated on the basis of the existing literature. In staged “town hall meetings,” during which students are also explicitly asked to assume roles that do not necessarily reflect their own views, the aim is to foster reflection on differing perspectives. After completing the course, students should be able to participate in the global debate on the need to mitigate the climate crisis and on the social adaptation efforts required for climate changes that can no longer be avoided.
Assessment and permitted materials
Performance will be evaluated based on the following assessment criteria:1. Short weekly readings to be summarized and critically commented in a one-pager that needs to be uploaded via Moodle (20%).2. Depending on the number of participants, individual or group presentations/debate sessions related to one of the course areas (20%) + handout (one page) as guidance for the audience (10%).3. Active participation in the discussions following the presentations/debate sessions (10%).4. Timely (!) submission of an essay (max. 5 pages incl. literature references) on a topic different from the one you presented/debated in class (30%).5. Short review report on one of the essays submitted by a classmate (10%).The central goal of the course is to promote student learning rather than machine learning. The compulsory readings and writing assignments are supposed to lead to your intellectual development. Hence the use of generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) in these tasks is strongly discouraged. Having said that, you are free to “spice up” your presentations/debate contributions by consulting AI sources for inspirational purposes.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
A positive final evaluation is only possible
- if ALL of assessment criteria are fulfilled
- if students attend the course regularly (max. 2 missed classes are permitted)The final grade will be a weighted average of the individual components.
- if ALL of assessment criteria are fulfilled
- if students attend the course regularly (max. 2 missed classes are permitted)The final grade will be a weighted average of the individual components.
Examination topics
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Reading list
Recommended readings:- Alston, Margaret. 2013. “Women and Adaptation.” WIREs Climate Change 4 (5): 351–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.232.
- Biraben, Jean-Noël. 2003. “The Rising Numbers of Humankind.” 2021/11/15/. Population & Societies, no. 394 (October 2003) (October): 1–4.
- Budolfson, Mark, Michael Geruso, Kevin J. Kuruc, Dean Spears, and Sangita Vyas. 2025. “Is Less Really More? Comparing the Climate and Productivity Impacts of a Shrinking Population.” Working Paper No. 33932. Working Paper Series. National Bureau of Economic Research, June. https://doi.org/10.3386/w33932.
- Ehrlich, Paul R., and John P. Holdren. 1971. “Impact of Population Growth.” Science 171 (3977): 1212–17. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.171.3977.1212.
- Foley, Jonathan A., Ruth DeFries, Gregory P. Asner, et al. 2005. “Global Consequences of Land Use.” Science 309 (5734): 570–74. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1111772.
- Lutz, Wolfgang, and Raya Muttarak. 2017. “Forecasting Societies’ Adaptive Capacities through a Demographic Metabolism Model.” Nature Climate Change 7 (3): 177–84. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3222.
- McCright, Aaron M., and Riley E. Dunlap. 2011. “Cool Dudes: The Denial of Climate Change among Conservative White Males in the United States.” Global Environmental Change 21 (4): 1163–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.06.003.
- Muttarak, Raya, Wolfgang Lutz, and Leiwen Jiang. 2016. “What can demographers contribute to the study of vulnerability?” Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2015 13: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1553/populationyearbook2015s1.
- Schneider-Mayerson, Matthew, and Kit Ling Leong. 2020. “Eco-Reproductive Concerns in the Age of Climate Change.” Climatic Change 163 (2): 1007–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02923-y.
- Schöngart, Sarah, Zebedee Nicholls, Roman Hoffmann, Setu Pelz, and Carl-Friedrich Schleussner. 2025. “High-Income Groups Disproportionately Contribute to Climate Extremes Worldwide.” Nature Climate Change 15 (6): 627–33. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02325-x.
- Shennan, Stephen. 2001. “Demography and Cultural Innovation: A Model and Its Implications for the Emergence of Modern Human Culture.” Cambridge Archaeological Journal 11 (1): 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959774301000014.
- Wynes, Seth, and Kimberly A. Nicholas. 2017. “The Climate Mitigation Gap: Education and Government Recommendations Miss the Most Effective Individual Actions.” Environmental Research Letters 12 (7): 074024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541.Further reading materials will be provided over the course of the semester via Moodle.
- Biraben, Jean-Noël. 2003. “The Rising Numbers of Humankind.” 2021/11/15/. Population & Societies, no. 394 (October 2003) (October): 1–4.
- Budolfson, Mark, Michael Geruso, Kevin J. Kuruc, Dean Spears, and Sangita Vyas. 2025. “Is Less Really More? Comparing the Climate and Productivity Impacts of a Shrinking Population.” Working Paper No. 33932. Working Paper Series. National Bureau of Economic Research, June. https://doi.org/10.3386/w33932.
- Ehrlich, Paul R., and John P. Holdren. 1971. “Impact of Population Growth.” Science 171 (3977): 1212–17. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.171.3977.1212.
- Foley, Jonathan A., Ruth DeFries, Gregory P. Asner, et al. 2005. “Global Consequences of Land Use.” Science 309 (5734): 570–74. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1111772.
- Lutz, Wolfgang, and Raya Muttarak. 2017. “Forecasting Societies’ Adaptive Capacities through a Demographic Metabolism Model.” Nature Climate Change 7 (3): 177–84. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3222.
- McCright, Aaron M., and Riley E. Dunlap. 2011. “Cool Dudes: The Denial of Climate Change among Conservative White Males in the United States.” Global Environmental Change 21 (4): 1163–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.06.003.
- Muttarak, Raya, Wolfgang Lutz, and Leiwen Jiang. 2016. “What can demographers contribute to the study of vulnerability?” Vienna Yearbook of Population Research 2015 13: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1553/populationyearbook2015s1.
- Schneider-Mayerson, Matthew, and Kit Ling Leong. 2020. “Eco-Reproductive Concerns in the Age of Climate Change.” Climatic Change 163 (2): 1007–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02923-y.
- Schöngart, Sarah, Zebedee Nicholls, Roman Hoffmann, Setu Pelz, and Carl-Friedrich Schleussner. 2025. “High-Income Groups Disproportionately Contribute to Climate Extremes Worldwide.” Nature Climate Change 15 (6): 627–33. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02325-x.
- Shennan, Stephen. 2001. “Demography and Cultural Innovation: A Model and Its Implications for the Emergence of Modern Human Culture.” Cambridge Archaeological Journal 11 (1): 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959774301000014.
- Wynes, Seth, and Kimberly A. Nicholas. 2017. “The Climate Mitigation Gap: Education and Government Recommendations Miss the Most Effective Individual Actions.” Environmental Research Letters 12 (7): 074024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541.Further reading materials will be provided over the course of the semester via Moodle.
Association in the course directory
(MGGCST M4.1) (MGGCST M5) (MA UF GW 02) (MR3) (MR Wahlmodul)MA Geography (855 [2]): for "Migration and Population Dynamics in the Context of Global Change and Development I" or "Migration and Population Dynamics in the Context of Global Change and Development II"
Last modified: Th 30.04.2026 12:47