From rings to segregation. Mexico City, 1950-1987

The author discusses different methods of urban analysis, using the example of Mexico City, Mexico. "In this work two outlines are used: a concentric one that reflects the city's expansion and a segregated one that sees the 'different cities' within. We analyze the commercial occupation of central areas and the growth due to the expansion of the periphery from 1950 to 1986. In both processes, the massive expulsion of the inhabitants appears, firstly as an effect and secondly as a cause. This fact serves as an argument to explore certain proposals in a prospective dimension. In the technical [spatial] analysis we generally avoid the design of the city itself. Here we approach some design ideas without forgetting their social dimension." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

The metropolitan character of urbanization in Mexico, 1900-1988

The author analyzes trends in urbanization in Mexico during the twentieth century, with a focus on the impact of rapid industrialization since 1982. Sections are included on the interrelations among economic development, industrialization, and urbanization; stages, levels, and measures of urbanization; the development of the city system in Mexico; and stages in the growth of Mexico City. (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Recent changes in migration patterns in the Mexico City metropolitan zone

"This study analyzes the magnitude, evolution over time, and place of origin of migrants to the ZMCM [Mexico City metropolitan zone] during the 1970s and 80s. More specifically, the study attempts to test the following hypothesis: attraction of migrants to the ZMCM has diminished over time;...thus the ZMCM is emerging as an important origin of migrants toward other cities. The article also provides an analysis of the changes in the characteristics of the migrants...." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Shaping of the migratory process in northern Mexico, 1930-1990

"During the third decade of this century Mexican geographical structure began to change notoriously. Due to the strong influence of [the] North American economy, the north of Mexico became progressively one of the most important regions in the country, with the emergence of favorable perspectives of economic growth. Soon it became attractive to migration from the demographically pressed regions of Central Mexico. Thus, the north of Mexico was favored by the presence of qualified workers and a growing population. However, the region was not evenly populated, due to geographic, historic, and socio-economic factors that...[affect] the processes of migration and settlement. Some regions present important changes in their migratory flow, evidenced by the presence of new entities of origin and the disappearance of others." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Development and regional urbanization in Mexico, 1970-1990

"Here regional urbanization in Mexico is studied as a function of income level and production structures. This general model allows us to identify four characteristics that are inherent to urban development for the 1970-1990 period." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

From natural to controlled fertility: Mexico, 1950-1980

Mexico's demographic transition was much later and more rapid than the classic transitions of European populations. A careful study of available data sources, especially fertility surveys, allows a detailed understanding of the reproductive process in Mexico, including the nuptiality patterns that influence fertility as well as changes in general and marital fertility. This work assesses the data sources and methods utilized to analyze Mexican fertility in the past, reviews fertility trends before the onset of the transition from about 1940-70, and describes the new reproductive patterns observed since about 1976. Fertility information from the decinnial censuses is not very adequate for measuring fertility levels or trends. Possible estimates based on census information are few and widely scattered in time, and omissions, underregistration, and faulty declarations are common because of the retrospective nature of the census. Census information is highly aggregated so that significant intermediate variables are not easy to assess. But census data are still the only source allowing estimations of fertility levels by areas of residence, administrative entities, and their social and economic characteristics. Mexico's vital statistics are of poor quality, with underregistration and late registration common. Evaluations of the Mexican Fertility Survey (EMF) of 1976-77 indicate that it provides more reliable estimates than the vital statistics or the census. The EMF and the National Demographic Survey (END) of 1982 indicate that the total fertility rate fell by 30.3% between 1974-80, from 6.27 to 4.37. Both the EMF and the END were national level surveys which collected complete fertility histories thus providing longitudinal information on the marital and fertility histories of women aged 15-49. This work uses primarily data from the EMF and END to analyze the period of fertility increase between 1940-60, the period of highest fertility between 1950-70, and the transition from a natural fertility regime to one of fertility control after 1970. The analysis contains 2 major parts, 1 presenting a study of general fertility including age specific rates for generations and periods, final family size of women terminating their childbearing, and the calendar of fertility for women still of fertile age. The 2nd major section focuses on marital fertility using the same indicators but taking into account the relationships between nuptiality and fertility. Comparisons are included between fertility levels based on the major surveys and those implied by the census and vital statistics data.     

Population dynamics,urban structure,and production of living space in the metropolitan zone of Mexico City

"In this article, an attempt is made to account for certain trends in the growth and distribution of the population, and in the structuring of living space in the metropolitan zone of Mexico City.... Among the important conclusions of this essay are those having to do with the huge growth of some political-administrative units and the relation of this phenomenon to the practices followed by private realtors, often articulated with the policies and programs set by the State's housing agencies, as well as those that associate urban growth and expansion with the development of habitational spaces within the so-called 'formal' and 'informal' housing sectors." Data are from Mexican censuses and other official sources. (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Measuring the economically active population in Mexico in the early 1990s

"This paper refers to problems of definition and measurement of the economically active population in the early nineties in different Mexican sources of information, considering in particular the 1990 Population Census and the 1991 National Survey on Employment. The study analyzes in detail the questions, reference periods, and coding systems of these two and other previous surveys and censuses. Its findings allow us to state that the 1990 Population Census is an adequate source of information for analyzing [the] national full-time salaried work force." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Understanding the changing fortunes of metropolitan neighborhoods, 1980 to 1990

Abstract

This article develops a model that relates decadal changes in neighborhood poverty rates to metropolitan‐wide economic changes and the neighborhood's demographic profile, predetermined poverty rate, and locational characteristics. The model is estimated for the 1980–1990 period using metropolitan census tracts as proxies for neighborhoods. This national sample of tracts is stratified into predominantly white, African‐American, Hispanic, and mixed subsamples.

Results indicate that only a few variables consistently predict growth in neighborhood poverty: overall job availability; the age composition of neighborhood residents; the proportion of nonmarried households; and the neighborhood's 1979 poverty rate. Other variables have distinctly different coefficients depending on the racial‐ethnic subsample. These coefficients include segregation, welfare benefits, the location of manufacturing employment, and availability of automobiles. We conclude that studies that focus solely on African‐American poverty neighborhoods fail to recognize common patterns across all neighborhoods and to discern unique features of neighborhoods inhabited predominantly by non‐African Americans.     

A new migratory horizon in Central Mexico: 1970-1990

"During the last few decades migration in Central Mexico has undergone important changes. Not only have populations been moving increasingly towards the periphery and decreasingly towards the center, but those originally living in the center are also moving to the immediate periphery. This behavior allows us to claim that Central Mexico is undergoing a process of deconcentration or suburbanization. This study describes the way in which such a process has developed and the situation of geographical entities within that process. Analysis of the new regional configuration takes into account demographic growth and the direction and characteristics of migration in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area and its surrounding states during the last twenty years." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Migrant workers in the metropolitan area of Monterrey

"In this article, an analysis is made of evidence regarding the metropolitan area of Monterrey, [Mexico]....[A] study carried out in 1965 is used as a point of reference, and information is analyzed for 1980 and 1983. In the first section of this article, a brief summary is provided of some of the recent contributions that have been made to the study of the profitability of internal migration. The second part is devoted to an analysis of the 1980 and 1983 surveys, focussing on the features distinguishing recent migratory workers and the rest of the work force...and on the factors determining income, with special interest in the category of migrants....Lastly, a summary of the main findings is presented." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

The metropolitan area of Monterrey in the year 2020

The author discusses possible future trends in economic development and urbanization in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. Information is provided on metropolitan growth from 1940 to 1995; population size and growth rate; extension of the urban area; deconcentration; and projections according to land use.     

Migration policies and population distribution in Mexico: regional implementation and impact

The author begins by analyzing the legal framework of migration and population redistribution policies in Mexico since 1973, when the General Law on Population was passed. In that framework, she points out several institutional deficiencies and contradictions. In the second section, she discusses demographic planning in this field, and conducts a follow-up on implementation based on reports from the institutions involved and official documents. To conclude, she examines practical applications of policy instruments, comparing the behavior of governmental variables that had a bearing on the phenomenon before and after the implementation of said policy (1970 to 1990). One of her findings is that the basic elements making population policies on migration operational did not move in the desired direction, i.e., to modify migratory and population distribution so as to achieve expected goals. Despite the continuity of population policies on migration, the implementation of such policies still poses diverse obstacles.     

The changing geography of metropolitan opportunity: The segregation of the poor in U.S. metropolitan areas, 1970 to 1990

Abstract

This analysis uses census tract data to measure the segregation of the poor in U.S. metropolitan areas in 1970, 1980, and 1990. Two measures of segregation are used: the indices of dissimilarity and isolation.

In 1990 the mean dissimilarity of the poor in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas was 36.1, which is substantial but below the 60.6 dissimilarity of blacks. The 1990 isolation of the poor was 21.0. From 1970 to 1990, the dissimilarity of the poor increased by 11 percent, and the isolation of the poor rose by 9 percent; in contrast, racial segregation declined. Exploratory regression analyses reveal that income segregation in metropolitan areas was significantly greater in 1990 and increased more from 1970 to 1990 in the Northeast than in the South and West. Midwest areas generally were not significantly different from Northeast areas in 1990 segregation levels or in changes from 1970 to 1990.     

Assessment and adjustment of census population data:1930-1990

"This article assesses and corrects total population data by age and sex from the 1930-1990 [censuses], for nine regions in Mexico. The assessment is based on the Whipple, Myers and United Nations indexes, and the corrections were carried out with the United Nations 1/16 techniques." (EXCERPT)     

Incomes of the aged and nonaged, 1950-82

This article discusses the results of previous studies, both supportive and nonsupportive of the conclusion that the aged are as well-off as the nonaged, and then presents a range of figures from Bureau of the Census reports over the period 1950-82 that measure both the incomes of the aged and nonaged and those of subgroups within these populations. Census figures indicate that the aged and nonaged have about equal levels of average per capita family income and that about the same proportions of these groups have incomes below the poverty line. However, aged unrelated individuals, who account for about a third of all aged persons, have less than three-fifths the income of nonaged unrelated individuals. When the per capita family income of the aged is compared separately with that of families headed by persons aged 25-44 and 45-64, aged persons receive more than those under age 45 but less than those aged 45-64. Trends in the economic status of the aged and nonaged over the period 1950-82 indicate numerous fluctuations rather than a consistent improvement in the income of either group in relation to the other.     

Female in-migration,employment, and family in a parish of Mexico City: Santa Catarina, 1775-1790

"The purpose of this article is to identify and evaluate the impacts of growing female in-migration to Mexico City at the close of the eighteenth century, analyzing for the case of the parish of Santa Catarina the proportion of men/women in the certificates of baptisms and burials...." Consideration is given to family formation, government policy, urbanization, and employment opportunities and their impact on family life. (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

The evolution of mortality in Mexico, 1940-1980

The author analyzes mortality trends in Mexico in the twentieth century, particularly since 1940. Trends are examined according to age, sex, and cause of death. The decline in mortality is then considered in the context of the country's history and other mortality transitions. Regional variations and excess mortality are also described. (SUMMARY IN ENG)