Publications [#256768] of Kenneth C. Land

Papers Published

1. Land, KC, Models and indicators, Social Forces, vol. 80 no. 2 (January, 2001), pp. 381-410, Oxford University Press (OUP), ISSN 0037-7732 [Gateway.cgi], [doi]
   (last updated on 2026/01/23)

   Abstract:
   Returning to themes of Land (1971a) and Land (1971b), this article addresses topics in formal sociological models and the definition, construction, and interpretation of social indicators. I show how standard classes of formalisms used to construct models in contemporary sociology can be derived from the general theory of models. This demonstrates, at a high level of abstraction, the isomorphism of many formal sociological models to the formal models used in virtually every scientific discipline today. I also review recent model-building and model-evaluation efforts in which I have participated on the estimation of active life expectancy of the U.S. elderly population, an assessment of the robustness of a recently proposed adjusted total fertility rate, and the construction of a new index of child and youth well-being. These studies show how formal models help us to see patterns in data that otherwise are not detectable, improve social measurement, and, in particular, define and interpret social indicators.