What Critical Demography Means to Me.

The author do not see a conflict between roles of social scientist and social critic. On the contrary, the author has always felt obligated not just to undertake the most rigorous scientific research, but also to disseminate the results of that research to the widest possible audience. After all, some aspect of demography underlies nearly every political issue of import, and as a concerned citizen the author has a duty to speak out whenever demographic facts or analysis are relevant to an ongoing public debate. Most of author's research has been funded by American taxpayers, who likewise have a right to know how their taxes are spent. Moreover, the part not funded by taxpayers was paid for by private foundations, which also expect some return on their investment besides a few boring articles in journals that no one but a few graduate students and professors will ever read. Thus, the author believe, that demographers, especially those in federally funded population centers, owe it to the public to be accessible and forthcoming about their research and its implications. As a critical demographer, the author has found himself addressing the public in four different ways.