Examining Neo Malthusian Theory: Implications for Environmental Degradation and Socio-demographic Dynamics in Rural Bangladesh

Abstract Book of the 9th International Conference on Future of Social Sciences

Year: 2025

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Examining Neo Malthusian Theory: Implications for Environmental Degradation and Socio-demographic Dynamics in Rural Bangladesh

Fatiha Sharmin, Md. Ubaeid Hasan

ABSTRACT:

Neo-Malthusian theory of population growth has greatly been employed in the analysis of the correlation between the rise in population and the deterioration of the environment. This study examines how the Neo- Malthusian theory is intertwined with the degradation of environment in rural Bangladesh, specifically Gopalganj district. It addresses the uncontrollable relationship between population and scarcity of resources and how the growing population, without control, it impacts negatively on the environment through problems like deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. Based on qualitative interviews with residents, the study presents first-person witnesses who indicated towards increasing rates of fertility, shifts in the use of land, and effects of migration on the local ecosystems. The results highlights the necessity of appropriate interventions, which both target population dynamics and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: Social Demography, Rural Sociology, Environmental Sociology