An understanding of how human populations change is basic to most social scientific research. This unit provides an introduction to the various components of population change - fertility, mortality and migration - through case studies drawn from contemporary Australia. A number of themes are explored: the concept of 'carrying capacity'; the question of an ecologically sustainable population; the relationship between socio-economic change and migration; and the use of demographic data as a planning tool. Assessment will take the form of both essay and practical assignments and one end of semester examination.