Demographics and Geopolitics in the 21st Century

In May 2008, GAI published The Graying of the Great Powers, the culmination of a two-year study that investigates how global demographic trends are reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the 21^st century. The book assesses how population aging and decline could constrain the ability of the United States and its traditional developed-country allies to maintain national security. It also explores the implications of dramatic demographic shifts in the developing world—from resurgent youth bulges in the Islamic world to premature aging in China and population implosion in Russia. GAI is now exploring possible follow-on studies. Candidates include: the security implications of smaller families and aging electorates in developed countries; the impact of echo youth booms in the Muslim World; the connections between demographic decline and neoauthoritarian reaction in Russia; and a critical evaluation of data and projections on Europe’s Muslim population.