The conferences were organised jointly under the auspices of the Ford Foundation Population Program, and the Smithsonian Institution Interdisciplinary Communications Program. The conferences were organised by Dr O. Harkavy, of the Ford Foundation, and Dr M.C. (Shelley) Shelesnyak of the Smithsonian Institution. Solly Zuckerman chaired the third conference and presided over sessions of the first and second.
The contents consist of the published proceedings of the first conference, Growth of Population, ed. M.C. Shelesnyak, Gordon and Breach, 1969, and drafts of the proceedings of the second and third conferences. There is a small amount of correspondence in file SZ/CGP/3 relating to textual amendments to the Proceedings.