MPhil Student Spotlight: Qiuyue Lin

Why do you study Sociology and Demography?

Sociology has profoundly shaped my intellectual and personal trajectory. Before I even became aware of the discipline, I sensed that the struggles and complexities I observed and experienced were not isolated but interconnected, pointing to broader social patterns.

This realisation led me to seek a deeper framework for understanding the forces shaping individual lives and societies. Through reading sociological literature, I discovered a profound sense of purpose.

For me, sociology is more than an academic pursuit; it is a way of seeing and engaging with the world.

It sharpens my critical perspective, bridges intellectual curiosity with lived experience, and offers a deep sense of meaning - an intellectual and emotional awakening that continues to shape how I understand life.

What first attracted you to the Department?

What first attracted me to the Sociology Department at Oxford was its strong tradition of empirical research and analytical sociology. 

Oxford has a well-established tradition of working with large-scale surveys, longitudinal data, and advanced statistical techniques. Its focus on analytical sociology encourages the use of formal models and mechanisms to explain social phenomena in a systematic way.

I also appreciate how the Department values both quantitative and qualitative methods and fosters research that is theoretically grounded yet deeply engaged with real-world social issues.
 

What do you enjoy most about studying in Oxford?

Being a student at Oxford has completely reshaped how I think about doing sociological research.

The Advanced Quantitative Methods course gave me a structured understanding of the key models and methods used in sociology, helping me engage with research more critically and systematically.

The Replication course has been especially eye-opening - it has made me reflect on what it really takes to ensure research is reproducible and robust, and replicating leading journal articles has given me a much deeper appreciation of methodological transparency.

I’ve also really enjoyed the weekly seminars, where scholars from different fields share their research. It’s fascinating to see how people approach their work in such different ways, and these talks have given me plenty of new ideas and perspectives.

Where do your research interests lie?

My research examines the long-term impact of neighbourhood cohesion on health, its variation across life stages, and its role in shaping mortality patterns in deprived communities.

I explore how social environments influence physical health over time, whether early-life exposure to low cohesion has lasting effects into adulthood, and how cohesion interacts with socioeconomic disadvantage to shape health outcomes.

Ultimately, my work aims to provide a clearer understanding of how strengthening neighbourhood cohesion could mitigate health inequalities in disadvantaged communities.

What do you hope to do when you finish your course?

My professional objective is to pursue an academic career in quantitative sociology.

After completing the course, I intend to pursue a DPhil degree, further deepening my expertise in this field and contributing to research on social determinants of health and inequality.

You can get in touch with Qiuyue via email.