title: Anthropological perspectives on population growth.
abstract: Rapid population growth affects many different system levels simultaneously: the individual, the family, the community, the nation-state and the world. What may appear to be an optimal population level for one system, given certain value premises, may not be optimal for another. Anthropologists can contribute to an understanding of rapid growth by generating an appreciation for the complexity of the phenomenon, and by providing representation for a range of cultural viewpoints. This may help to reduce the risk we now run of committing all of mankind to a singular path which may prove to be an evolutionary dead end.
mesh_terms: D003441:Crowding; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011158:Population Growth