Project
Population
There are many terms to describe groups of people: crowd, masses, citizens, nation, and humanity, to name a few. Among these, “population” is unique in evoking both a sense of proximity and distance.
Today, population issues are widely discussed as urgent matters. However, these issues are often felt to be abstract and distant, making it difficult to relate them to our personal lives. Am I merely a part of the population? When counted as part of the population, do I lose my individuality? What exactly is the population? The Japanese term, “人口” (jinkō) includes the character “口” (kō, kuchi), which means “mouth” and was historically used in China as a counter for people. This origin, which reduces humans to a mere body part, might contribute to a feeling that the term “population" is somewhat inadequate when discussing humanity.
In English, population studies encompass two main fields: demography, which focuses on the study and analysis of human birth, death, and migration, and population studies, which takes a more interdisciplinary approach by integrating economics, history, politics, and culture. Since the publication of Thomas Robert Malthus’s pioneering work, An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), which discussed food shortages due to population growth, the methods and purposes of population studies have significantly diversified.
Today, “population” signifies not just mouths to feed but also the source of diverse voices contributing to various fields of thought. These voices resonate beyond traditional demography and population studies, impacting economics, psychology, literature, and other areas deeply connected to human activities, thoughts, and feelings.
Addressing population issues requires a multifaceted approach, as they are not monolithic. On one hand, we Japanese face local challenges like low birth rates, aging societies, and depopulation. On the other, there are global issues such as food shortages, resource depletion, and environmental problems caused by population growth. These varied population issues, scattered across this planet, are growing increasingly serious, complicating the relationships between self and others, and between local and global concerns.
The complexity of these issues raises numerous questions. It’s no longer just “my” problem. Who are “we” and “they” when we become part of the population issue? What can “I” do for “them” when tackling this problem? How am “I” different from “them” within the population, and how are we interconnected? What should “I” consider and do for those who are not yet here or might soon leave?
The Future of Humanity Research Center aims to deepen rita studies by addressing these questions through the lens of population. Collaborating with researchers from various fields tackling population issues, this project will not only explore “What is population?” but also “What can we do with the theme of population?” Throughout this process, project members will reexamine this issue within their respective fields and work together to address population problems that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
Indeed, the population issue is complex. However, to bring it closer to our understanding and to connect “me” with “them,” the Future of Humanity Research Center is launching the Population Project.
Project Contents
Today, population issues are widely discussed as urgent matters. However, these issues are often felt to be abstract and distant, making it difficult to relate them to our personal lives. Am I merely a part of the population? When counted as part of the population, do I lose my individuality? What exactly is the population? The Japanese term, “人口” (jinkō) includes the character “口” (kō, kuchi), which means “mouth” and was historically used in China as a counter for people. This origin, which reduces humans to a mere body part, might contribute to a feeling that the term “population" is somewhat inadequate when discussing humanity.
In English, population studies encompass two main fields: demography, which focuses on the study and analysis of human birth, death, and migration, and population studies, which takes a more interdisciplinary approach by integrating economics, history, politics, and culture. Since the publication of Thomas Robert Malthus’s pioneering work, An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), which discussed food shortages due to population growth, the methods and purposes of population studies have significantly diversified.
Today, “population” signifies not just mouths to feed but also the source of diverse voices contributing to various fields of thought. These voices resonate beyond traditional demography and population studies, impacting economics, psychology, literature, and other areas deeply connected to human activities, thoughts, and feelings.
Addressing population issues requires a multifaceted approach, as they are not monolithic. On one hand, we Japanese face local challenges like low birth rates, aging societies, and depopulation. On the other, there are global issues such as food shortages, resource depletion, and environmental problems caused by population growth. These varied population issues, scattered across this planet, are growing increasingly serious, complicating the relationships between self and others, and between local and global concerns.
The complexity of these issues raises numerous questions. It’s no longer just “my” problem. Who are “we” and “they” when we become part of the population issue? What can “I” do for “them” when tackling this problem? How am “I” different from “them” within the population, and how are we interconnected? What should “I” consider and do for those who are not yet here or might soon leave?
The Future of Humanity Research Center aims to deepen rita studies by addressing these questions through the lens of population. Collaborating with researchers from various fields tackling population issues, this project will not only explore “What is population?” but also “What can we do with the theme of population?” Throughout this process, project members will reexamine this issue within their respective fields and work together to address population problems that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
Indeed, the population issue is complex. However, to bring it closer to our understanding and to connect “me” with “them,” the Future of Humanity Research Center is launching the Population Project.