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Jews are an ancient people, but as a multitudinous population group they are comparatively very young. At the end of the eighteenth century, there were in the world about two and a half million Jews. Of these more than a million were found in countries of the Near East and a million and a half in Europe. There is undoubtedly an amazingly rapid expansion of a population group and it is so considered by most students of population statistics. The Jewish population growth, whatever it was, was not a phenomenon caused by the abnormal fecundity of the Jewish race, but formed part of the forward movement of the entire world's population. All investigators who had studied Jewish population growth had compared the rate of increase of world Jews with the rate of growth of separate peoples living within well delimited territorial boundaries. The relative slowness of Jewish population growth is also revealed when it is compared not only with the expansion of the population of Europe as a whole but with the rise of separate nations for periods longer than one hundred years.

Several simple theories of government coalition formation are described and tested. A statistical method is presented for comparing the theories and evaluating each of them relative to a certain null hypothesis. The statistical tests are based upon the formation of 132 government coalitions in twelve countries of Western Europe during 1945-71. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) European Ministers of Education Conference held November 20 to 25, 1967. One of the themes discussed in the conference was focused on how democratic access to higher education has become. The article highlights the UNESCO Conference document entitled "Comparative Statistical Data on Access to Higher Education in Europe." The issue of equality of access was also discussed in the conference, focusing on equality as between the sexes. In addition, the Conference invited UNESCO to undertake studies relating to various issues such as the fostering of European cooperation in the field of education, particularly higher education.

Using an ecological perspective, one aspect of the relationship of social distance and physical distance is analyzed in the three largest cities in Israel. The principal aim of the paper is to examine ethnic (country of origin) residential segregation as an indicator of social patterning within the society. Despite the different demographic, topographical and functional characteristics of the three cities, fairly similar patterns of ethnic segregation are found using the technique of Smallest Space Analysis (SSA-I) to analyze index of dissimilarity matrices. Patterns of ethnic segregation are then related to the SES of sub-quarters to determine the nature of the internal structure of the cities. It is suggested that ethnicity is an important variable in the process of social stratification in urban Israel, at least insofar as ecological relationships are concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study by historical comparison of the fertility trends related to mortality levels is made between Latin America and Europe. The purpose of such study is to show why Latin America did not repeat the European mortality-fertility pattern during 1930-1960. Differences between the two areas are established, and an explanation is given about the particular Latin America mortality-fertility model. The effects of such a Latin America trend are pointed out, principally in relation to population growth, city growth and labor force. Hypothetical Latin American populations are calculated under the assumption that the area has repeated the European pattern. A comparison between these hypothetical populations with the actual ones shows how different the situation of the area has actually been. Nevertheless, an analysis of the necessary fertility changes in order to reproduce the European model shows that it was impossible for Latin America to repeat the European mortality-fertility experience during 1930-1960. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies by Adelman and by Friedlander and Silver, which have investigated whether regression equations derived from cross-section data can be used to predict the impact of socioeconomic development on changing levels of fertility, are reviewed critically. Regression analyses based on data for 57 countries c. 1960 show that fertility (gross reproduction rate) varies cross-sectionally with region as well as with level of development (as measured by per capita income, percent labor force in primary sector, expectation of life, illiteracy rate). Using equations derived from the cross-section study and time-series data for five European countries during the period that their fertility rates fell, it is shown that predictions about past fertility changes are in error. The results suggest caution in the use of cross-section relations to predict the course of fertility in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about the activities of labor unions in countries belonging to the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1962. Note is taken of discussions about lifting wage cost burdens from 14 industrial branches, including the sugar industry, breweries, and the spinning industry. Additionally, statistics are given about wages and wage costs for employers in countries such as West Germany, Belgium, and France.

This article focuses on the third seminar on contemporary Europe and public education. The purpose of the seminar has been to make a first-hand study of the political and socioeconomic problems which Western Europe faces today and to determine the role its educational systems are playing in the development of a citizenry which is equipped to assist significantly in the solution of these problems. In the case of each country visited, England, Germany, and France, effort was made to afford the membership of the Seminar the opportunity of hearing and talking with well-informed professional leaders from the fields of government, economics, social work, and particularly education. Each member of the Seminar was required to select and work out a problem which was of direct interest and importance to him or her either personally or professionally. Effort was made to utilize maximally either human or social and institutional sources which are not available in the U.S.

The authors discuss the numbers and types of textile printing equipment in Europe, and offer statistical data on the printing industry in West Germany and France. Comments are offered on current tends in various branches of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports statistics from the German Federal Statistics Bureau showing a nearly two-thirds reduction in maternal mortality in the time period 1951-1964. Countries with even lower rates reported included East Bloc countries such as East Germany, Hungary, and Poland, as well as Western nations like Austria, Greece, Great Britain, France, and Sweden. Reasons for the discrepancies are suggested.

The article presents information on various research papers from Europe published in an earlier issue of the journal "International Migration Review". "Family Planning Among Different Ethnic Groups," by R.E.D. Simpson. In this extract, from his much longer report "A Medico-Social Study of a Group Practice with a High Proportion of Immigrants," the author describes the increasing use made of family planning in his practice in Bristol, England. "France's Portuguese Workers," by Marie-Claire Viguer is based on Statistics from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the National Immigration Office and on results of investigations made at Toulouse at the Sociology of Labor Center by French and Portuguese research workers.

Examines the amount of probability and statistics teaching on secondary education in Europe. Course concept on probability and statistics; Efficacy of mathematics curricula on teaching students; Factors affecting the teaching of statistics on secondary schools.

The article presents news briefs on several social science publications as of December 1972. The 1972 edition of the book "Statistical Abstract of the United States," was issued by the U.S. Bureau of Census. This 93rd annual edition of the "Abstract" includes a more comprehensive section of statistics from the 1970 U.S. Census of Population and Housing than was possible in 1971. "Current Research" booklet published in English, is now available from the Centre for European Society. The American Academy of Political and Social Science will publish a special monograph of papers and proceedings presented at a two day conference on Integration of the Social Sciences Through Policy Analysis.

Lists congresses and congresses related to statistics in Europe. Schedule of the International Symposium on Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences in Rome, Italy; Theme of the Annual Meeting of the Netherlands Statistical Society; Organization of the International Summer Institute in Sciences in Portugal.