Toxic Demography

Ideology and the Politics of Population

By: Jennifer D. Sciubba, Michael S. Teitelbaum, Jay Winter

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eText | 24 October 2025 | Edition Number 1

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Population politics has taken many forms throughout history. Political leaders from both democracies and non-democracies commonly place population issues at the center of their political programs, manufacturing alarm over changing demographic distributions. From fears of existential decline to debates over migration and fertility, demographic issues are often distorted by political ideologies that obscure understanding and fuel divisive narratives. In Toxic Demography, Jennifer D. Sciubba, Michael S. Teitelbaum, and Jay Winter explore the deep entanglement of population dynamics with identity, modernization, nationalism, and populism. They unravel how concepts like "family" and "nation"--often seen as straightforward--carry diverse and politicized meanings that shape demographic debates. Focusing on the United States, Europe, and Asia, the authors examine the demographic dimensions of political conflict and the societal changes driven by aging populations and low fertility rates. These regions, at the forefront of unprecedented demographic transitions, reveal how population trends have been co-opted to serve political agendas that transform population debates into battlegrounds for broader ideological struggles. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples, Toxic Demography offers a critical lens to understand the persistent politicization of reproduction, fertility, and migration, showing how these distortions shape the futures of nations and societies.