The International Union for the Scientific Study of Population's Panel
on Historical Demography applies a historical perspective, such as the
importance of kinship networks for demographic outcomes later in life,
to promote work of contemporary relevance. Connections over time,
whether across generations or different segments of the life course, are
an area of convergent interest among multiple disciplines. Specific
topics of common interest are the influence of con- tions earlier in
life on outcomes later in life, intergenerational associations in
social, economic, and demographic outcomes, socioeconomic differences in
health status and demographic outcomes, and the influence of
industrialization and modernization on such patterns and relationships.
Historical population da- bases, currently under expansion in a variety
of locations around the world, provide longitudinal data on individuals
across multiple generations and are especially amenable to the
examination of such issues. Through a series of workshops sci- tists at
the forefront of research on these issues were brought together in order
to instigate a new wave of comparative work. Kinship and Demographic
Behavior in the Past is intended to extend the disc- sions that occurred
at two seminars, cosponsored by the International Union for the
Scientific Study of Population, to a broader community of population
scientists. Experts from many disciplines have come together in this
volume to highlight the convergence of research by demographers,
economic historians, historians, anth- pologists, sociologists, and
geneticists.
