Social Research Talk: Q&A with Sociologist Yu Xie

SAGE Publishing Asia Pacific organised an intimate Q&A about research methods in sociology with Professor Yu Xie, member of the American National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Academia Sinica. He is also Bert G. Kerstetter, ’66 University Professor of Sociology and PIIRS at Princeton University, Chair Professor, director of the Center for Social Research at Peking University and also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Journal of Sociology. The full interview can be found here, but here’s a preview of what he had to say:

1. Thank you for joining us today, Professor Yu Xie. Could you tell us a bit about your educational background and career growth as a sociologist? 

I was born and raised in China. In 1977, I took the entrance examination at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, where I earned my engineering degree. 

After graduating, it dawned on me that my interest was not in engineering but in human beings, history, and social science. So I took another examination to further my studies abroad. I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study the history of science.

During the summer, I took a methodology course offered by the sociology Department. I was hooked on this field of study because I suddenly discovered that scientific tools exist to study human behaviours and societies. 

So, I decided to shift my area of study from the history of science to sociology, after which I earned a sociology doctoral degree in 1989 and moved to the University of Michigan (U-M). I worked and stayed there for 26 years, where I did a lot of work in sociological methodology, social stratification, social demography, quantitative methods, and Chinese studies.

2. What are some of the pieces of advice you could give to early career researchers who are interested in submitting articles to the Chinese Journal of Sociology?

A piece of general advice I could impart to academic students or young scholars is to love the article you’re writing. It’s your child; your product – and thus, you should be passionate about it. 

Academic life is not for everyone. I enjoy being an academic and a sociologist. I enjoy writing papers; even if there are no financial or material rewards, I still work on many articles each year because I love it. An excellent first step to approaching it is to think of research writing as enjoyment rather than punishment or a delightful endeavor rather than a painful one.

Furthermore, ensure that your article has the essential elements or the “checked off” items. Your paper’s argument, for example, should be interesting and persuasive, backed by evidence and methodology to support it. 

Chinese Journal of Sociology is an English publication, so you must write well in that language. Writing English well is an essential skill. You can learn it by writing and rewriting, so practice it as much as possible.

3. Are research methods necessary for young researchers to develop social science research? If so, any suggestions or resources you recommend for young researchers to learn research methods?

Research methods are an essential part of social science research. However, remember that methods are meaningful only if they are creatively used.

To use methods properly and sensibly, you need to know the limitations of all forms and alternative methods and their trade-offs. Never blindly use them. You want extensive exposure to different methods, so exposure to other methods and understanding their benefits and shortcomings will be highly beneficial in your study.

To read or watch the full interview, click here.