Society & Demographics

Vocabulary for social structures and population dynamics

Introduction

Understanding society requires vocabulary for discussing social structures, inequality, demographics, and the forces that shape communities. These words appear in sociology, news reporting, and public policy.

This chapter presents vocabulary for social analysis and demographic discussion. These words help you engage with debates about social change, population trends, and the complex dynamics of human societies.

Themes

All Advanced Vocabulary in This Chapter (23)

• census An official count or survey of a population, typically recording details such...
• migration The movement of people from one place to another, especially to settle in a n...
• diaspora The dispersion of a people from their original homeland to other parts of the...
• assimilation The process by which individuals or groups from one culture adopt the customs...
• segregation The enforced or systematic separation of people based on race, ethnicity, rel...
• gentrification The process by which a working-class or run-down urban area is transformed th...
• urbanisation The process by which an increasing proportion of a population moves from rura...
• indigenous Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; used especially of ...
• ethnicity The fact or state of belonging to a social group that shares a common cultura...
• socioeconomic Relating to or involving a combination of social and economic factors, such a...
• inequality The state of being unequal, especially in terms of status, rights, opportunit...
• disparity A significant difference or gap between things, especially one that is percei...
• marginalise To treat a person or group as insignificant or peripheral, pushing them to th...
• intersectionality The interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, gend...
• cohesion The act or state of sticking together, forming a united whole; in social cont...
• solidarity Unity or agreement of feeling, action, or purpose among individuals within a ...
• alienation A feeling of being isolated, estranged, or disconnected from the people, inst...
• stratification The arrangement or classification of something into different layers or level...
• mobility The ability to move or be moved freely and easily; in sociology, the movement...
• affluent Having a great deal of money or material wealth; prosperous. Used to describe...
• impoverished Made poor; reduced to a state of poverty. Also used figuratively to describe ...
• inclusion The practice or policy of ensuring that all people, regardless of their backg...
• pluralism A political and social philosophy that recognises and values the coexistence ...