Kingsley Davis (August 20, 1908- February 27, 1997) was an American sociologist and demographer. He contributed to studies of American and worldwide societies, and coined the terms "population explosion". Kingsley is also credited with coining the term "zero population growth"; although it was in fact used earlier by George Stolnitz, who stated that the concept of a stationary population dated back to 1693.

• served as president of the Population Association of America and the American Sociological Association
• represented the United States on the United Nations Population Commission
• member of the Advisory Council of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Advisory Committee on Population for the U.S. Bureau of the Census
• member of the American Eugenics Society

He was the first sociologist in the nation to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences (1966).

His books include Human Society (MacMillan, 1949), The Population of India and Pakistan (Princeton University Press, 1951), World Urbanization 1950-1970 (Berkeley: Institute of International Studies, 1969, 1972), and Cities: Their Origin, Growth and Human Impact (W.H. Freeman, 1973).

Books by Kingsley Davis

• Human Society (MacMillan, 1949)
• The Population of India and Pakistan (Princeton University Press, 1951)
• World Urbanization 1950-1970 (Berkeley: Institute of International Studies, 1969, 1972)
• Cities: Their Origin, Growth and Human Impact (W.H. Freeman, 1973).

References

External links

• Kingsley Davis at Encyclopædia Britannica
• Obituary at Stanford News
• Biography at the American Sociological Association
• Biography from Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society