Thursday, June 19, 2008

Houston Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas • 1801 Allen Parkway

Registration 1 p.m. • Symposium 1:30-5 p.m. • Reception 5-6 p.m.

 

Dudley L. Poston, Jr., Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

Amanda K. Baumle, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Houston

Mark Fossett, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

Rogelio Saenz, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

AGENDA

1:00 – 1:30                REGISTRATION

1:30 – 1:45                INTRODUCTION

Dudley L. Poston, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

1:45 – 2:30                DEMOGRAPHY OF SAME-SEX PARTNERING

Amanda K. Baumle, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Houston

2:30 – 3:15                SPATIAL DEMOGRAPHY AND RACIAL SEGREGATION

Mark Fossett, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

3:15 – 3:30                BREAK

3:30 – 4:15                DEMOGRAPHY OF RACE AND ETHNICITY

Rogelio Saenz, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

4:15 – 5:00                DEMOGRAPHY OF AGE-SEX STRUCTURE

Dudley L. Poston, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M University

Poston says: "In my presentation on Age and Sex Structure, I will show the importance of age and sex composition of a population, as well as what they mean. These are the most important of all the 'demographics,' and I will show why. I will also show some examples of the slogan, '“Demography is destiny' (a phrase attributed to the 19th century French mathematician and philosopher, August Comte (1798–1857), also known as the 'father of sociology'). These 'destiny' examples will focus on the US, China, Qatar, Houston (actually Harris County), and some other places in Texas. I will hope the audience will go away from my presentation with a better understanding about what 'age' and 'sex' mean and their broad implications."

Fossett says: "My presentation will focus on patterns of residential segregation by race/ethnicity in Houston and will cover comparisons with segregation patterns in other major cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit."

Saenz says: "My presentation will examine the dynamics of Latino population growth in the United States, focusing on fertility, immigration, age structure, and mortality. It will also illustrate Latino population trends in Texas and Harris County."

5:00 – 6:00    WINE & CHEESE RECEPTION

 

 

On June 19, TEDA/Houston presents a symposium with Dudley Poston, co-editor of the landmark Handbook of Population, and three more of the book’s contributors: Amanda Baumle, Mark Fossett and Rogelio Saenz. These outstanding lecturers will bring us up to speed on the latest developments in their areas of specialization and how they apply to the practical world of business decisions and public policy development. Drawing on Houston and its ongoing demographic transformation for examples, our speakers will discuss such topics as same-sex partnering (Baumle), race and ethnicity (Saenz), and urban and spatial demography and residential segregation (Fossett), and age-sex structure (Poston).

Co-edited by Poston and Michael Micklin, Handbook of Population is the first comprehensive survey of demography and its practical applications to be published in nearly half a century. At this TEDA symposium, the authors will introduce us to the intriguing and sometimes startling advances in deciphering what demographic changes mean for society—especially our society.

At previous meetings, you’ve heard Steve Klineberg, Rice professor of sociology, talk about Houston’s transformation from a biracial Southern city in the 1960s to a major metropolitan area in which no racial or ethnic group is a majority. You’ve also heard Steve Murdock, Census Bureau director and former Texas state demographer who’s fond of noting that “demography is destiny,” talk about the implications of changing population characteristics for the Houston and the Texas of 2030. Now TEDA/Houston offers a symposium to explore what’s going on at the forefront of demographic research and analysis and how it applies to real-world concerns.

If what you hear is enough to drive you to drink, we have just the thing for you. A wine and cheese reception immediately follows this symposium, giving you additional opportunity to talk with colleagues about the “take-aways” from these four experts’ presentations.

Registration is $25 per person for TEDA members and their guests, $15 for persons with current student identification, and $35 for all others. Please register at teda@houston.org. Include your name, firm or organization, mailing address, phone, and e-mail address. No cancellations after noon June 18. Please make checks, to be submitted at the event, payable to TEDA/Houston. No-shows will be invoiced.

Advance registration is required to enter the facility. Law enforcement officers may not grant access to anyone who is not preregistered.

For directions to the Fed’s free parking, accessed via Gillette St. on the east side of the building, click here.