MONOGRAPHIC STUDY

　　Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Sociological Srudies　　

　　Sociological Studies and the Study of Sociological Theories in Contemporary China: Commemorating the 30th anniversary of Sociological Studies

　　Xie lizhong

　　Abstract：This is a brief review of literature published in the journal Sociological Studies, focusing on the research of Western sociological theories, Chinese sociological theories and other theoretical issues. It shows this journal has made important contributions to the development of Chinese sociological theories. It is the most important journal for the production of sociological theoretical research in Contemporary China.

　　Towards a More Mature Sociology: A review of empirical studies in the Sociological Studies

　　Li lulu & Zhu bin & Licaixiang

　　Abstract：Based on papers published in the Sociological Studies, this article analyses the development of Chinese sociological empirical studies. The results reveal that empirical study has become the mainstream of sociological studies and shows a trend of diversification, standardization and professionalization. Furthermore, the authors review empirical studies in three research fields, including “organization and governance”, “stratification and mobility”, and “family and life”. In sum, these empirical studies focus on the modernization theory and the “state-society” theory, and use two major analytical frameworks, i.e., the “system/structure” framework and the “action/process” framework. Finally, this paper discusses some problems existed in the current empirical studies, especially the involution of questions and the fragmentation of theories.

　　Promoting and Guiding: A review of studies on research methods in Sociological Studies in the past thirty years

　　Feng xiaotian

　　Abstract：Based on papers published in Sociological Studies, the paper reviews the important topics and results of these papers from the perspectives of methodology, in particular the quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, and survey research methods. This paper points out that Sociological Studies has made positive and indispensible contributions in promoting and guiding the research of methods in the past thirty years. At the same time, this paper also makes two suggestions to the journal.

　　Advancing with Time: A review of the development of sociological surveys in the past three decades in China

　　Li wei

　　Abstract：This paper reviews the development of sociological surveys in China since the rebuilt of the discipline of sociology. During the recovery period (1979-1989), statistical surveys begin to be adopted in social research. The practical use of such surveys is emphasized to solve the practical problems emerged in the reform of the Chinese society. Yet the surveys suffer from lack of academic standard or scientific methods. During the later period of fast growth (1990-1999), social surveys make progress in becoming more standardized, academic-oriented and professional. Since 2000, social surveys embrace a golden era of development. A series of national longitudinal survey are carried out, making it possible to better analyze social transformation and social development. These surveys provide unprecedented and high quality public academic resources for social research, and effectively enable renovation in the methods of social survey.

　　Sociological Studies and Chinese Sociology (1986-2015)

　　Wei jianwen & Chai ling & Hou jiawei

　　Abstract：Drawing on bibliographical analysis of papers published in the journal Sociological Studies between 1986 and 2015, this paper examines the developmental characteristics of the journal and analyzes the history of Chinese sociology, including the research focuses, methods, and challenges in the past three decades. It is an important task to trace the history of Chinese sociology and envision the developing trends of Chinese sociology in the coming “New Golden Time”.

　　PAPER

　　Dripping the Digits Down: Technical governance in the rural targeted poverty alleviation

　　Wang yulei

　　Abstract：Dripping the digits down is a typical application of technological governance in rural poverty alleviation and development in China. The information competency of the state can be well improved by the localization, systematization and logicalization of the digits. Based on extensive field work, the auther finds out that due to the long multi-level contracting production of the digital techniques, where the logic and motivations of the agents’ behaviors differ from each other，the reliability of digits cannot be guaranteed. More importantly，the digits are the outcome of the state infiltration and administrative intervention, rather than growing from the activities of the grassroots. Thus it is insulated from the local governance process and rural social life.

　　Governance Transaction Costs and the Evolution of Agricultural Operation Organization Forms: Analysis based on the rise and fall of pig farming in City J (1949-2015)

　　Cheng qiuping & Xiong wansheng

　　The scalization of agricultural operation is developing very fast in China as the result of the intertwining influence of market competition and state governance. Taking the story of pig farming in City J as a case, this study takes up the conception of governance transaction costs to explain the governance factors underpinning the phenomenon. How to connect the farmers with the state is a structural dilemma faced by both the Chinese government and rural families. Instead of the integrative method adopted during the period of planned economy, a multiple comprehensive approach has been taken in the phase of market economy during the reform. Different levels of government and departments develop a variety of mechanisms in the process of governance. These mechanisms produce a gradual mode which promotes scale operation. This gradual mode can be radicalized under certain conditions, and lead to rapid changes in forms of agricultural operation organizations under the campaign-style governance.

　　Farmland Management Scale and Education Investment in Chinese Rural Families: Analysis based on 887 administrative villages in 31 provinces

　　Yang hua & Xu yan

　　Based on the data of 31 provinces in China collected by the “Thousand Villages” household survey, this paper analyzes the impact of farmland management scale on farmers’ investment in their offspring’s education. The farmland management scale influences education investment through the interaction of income and substitute effect. Substitute effect has a dominant impact on most families. The impact of both family management scale and labor education on the rural family income shows significant range effect. That is, if and only if logarithmic management scale is above the threshold value of 2.014, the farmland management scale and education investment will improve the family income efficiently. In other words, the scale of farmland management in China is not large enough to improve rural family income or to increase the employment of surplus agricultural labor in urban area.

　　The Evolvement of Family Intergenerational Relationship in Transition: Mechanism, logic and tension

　　Shi jinqun

　　Based on diversified intergenerational living arrangements in the city, this paper studies the characterization and formation mechanism of family intergenerational relationships in the Chinese society. The results show that the subject of intergenerational relationship seeks individual freedom, while subjected to a set of everyday life logic of family responsibilities, such as filial piety, and the limitation of social support with regard to elderly care and child rearing. The family intergenerational relationship thus becomes the last bastion of the individual to resist risks. Most people involved in intergenerational relationships try to balance the tensions between the social structure and the individual by selecting different forms of intergenerational living arrangements, which form unique rheological family intergenerational relations.

　　On Max Weber’s 1895 Inaugural Lecture: Contextual, textual and inter-textual perspectives

　　He rong

　　Weber’s 1895 Inaugural Address is regarded as a manifestation of aggressive nationalism and to a certain degree overlooked in Weber literature. This study focuses on this text to locate the early Weber’s sociological concerns, i.e., how the demographic trend, economic transformation and political structure in East Elbian region challenged Germany as an integrated nation. Furthermore, this is also a case study to show why we need to understand Weber’s work via a textual, contextual and inter-textual perspective. A possible way towards a multi-dimensional historiography of Weber’s work is to construct text groups, and text-chains based on key texts of certain themes.