Editing Development communication (section)

==== Demography ====
Defined as the statistical study of populations, Demography is seen as more of a general science that can analyze populations that show change over a period of time. However, in combination with the more specific aspect of communication that has to do with social sciences, demographics can be a significant factor and consequently influencer of Development Communication policy design. Population changes are brought about by birth, migration and mortality. These demographic processes affect the use of resources, nation-building and society formation, and cultural development calling for development communication policies.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Demography?|url=https://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/education_career/what_is_demography_1908/default.htm|publisher=Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research|access-date=22 March 2018|archive-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310021503/http://www.demogr.mpg.de/En/education_career/what_is_demography_1908/default.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Researcher for the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research Sebastian Klüsener "investigated how the exchange of ideas and information between people could affect the development of spatial, temporal, and social differences in demographic change. The results highlight that communication plays a much larger role in shaping demographic processes..."<ref name=":14">{{Cite web|url=http://www.demogr.mpg.de/en/news_press/news/news/the_role_of_communication_in_demographic_change_4105.htm|title=The role of communication in demographic change.|last=Klusener|first=Sebastian|website=Max Planck Institute For Demographic Research}}</ref> In her discussion of the relationship between communicators and their audiences, Natalie T. J. Tindall, an associate professor in the department of communication at Georgia State University, US, shares "Demographic categories can still tell us a lot about our social structure, and continue to be useful for macro-level understandings of people and societies."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.communication-director.com/issues/different-perspective/going-beyond-demographics#.VyNjxEfNOng|title=Going beyond demographics|last=Tindall|first=Natalie T.J.|website=Communication Director|date=2 December 2014}}</ref> It is with this understanding that policies can be designed more tailor-fit to those it is designed for.
Furthermore, the criterion by which a demography is performed are relevant factors that may act as a roadmap that can guide development communication policy making. This includes but is not limited to age, level of education, gender distribution profile, individual and household income, etc. With the anticipatory objective of policy sciences in relation to crisis or problem solving, the better policy makers get a grasp of how a population is demographically—not just socially—the more sensitive and pro-active policy making as a process can be. When perspectives of an accurate cross-sectional sampling of a population, group, or culture are taken into consideration, the ensuing policies are better geared towards the pre-set objectives. Scalone, Dribe, and Klusener have further found that "Communication can significantly increase the impact of population-relevant policies and other processes of social change..."<ref name=":14" /> which reinforces the idea that as a science in itself, development communication policy design, becomes more accurate and purposeful when the correct information and variables are holistically integrated.