Crash Course and Career Reorientation: Why I studied CSP
Christina Maags completed the MSc in Comparative Social Policy while at the same time finishing up her PhD in Chinese politics in Frankfurt, Germany. In this article, she reflects on how this dual experience prepared her for her current position as a Lecturer in Chinese Politics at SOAS.
Reasons for studying CSP
Social policy - “the study of the social relations necessary for human wellbeing and the systems by which wellbeing may be promoted” (Dean 2006: 1) - that was what I set out to study when I applied to the MSc in Comparative Social Policy in December 2015. Yet, in comparison to most other hopeful and excited applicants who had just completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, I was at a different stage in my life: I was doing a PhD in Political Science in Germany (which I submitted March 2017). I knew pursuing both degrees at the same time would be tough, but I wanted to embark on this adventure because I wanted a comprehensive theoretical understanding of social policy as a field of research.
While I was very passionate about my PhD research on Chinese cultural policy implementation, I knew that I wanted to focus on something else after I completed this degree, a new research project focusing on older people, of whom I had encountered so many during my fieldwork in China. I was particularly interested in how the state can support older persons, by for instance promoting elder care provision or old age poverty programmes. The MSc offered a “crash course” on these and related topics: it provided me with an overview of theoretical approaches to understanding social policy and the welfare state, as well as the opportunity to focus more on policy areas associated with older people such as elder care, pensions, and health care.
Getting that first job
In spring 2017, I started looking out for my first postdoctoral academic job. The academic job market is tough. While there seem to be numerous academic jobs posted, it is difficult to find one which perfectly suits your research skills. Chinese politics, however, is not the most common field within academia. While this translates into comparatively fewer people applying for academic jobs in this area, the amount of jobs available is so small that competition is nonetheless extremely high. I found that the degree in CSP has helped me in the application process for two reasons: On the one hand, many topics discussed in relation to social policy are highly relevant for research institutions and universities. Research surrounding demographic change, social inequality or labour market policies is much more sought after than, for instance, cultural policy – despite its significant impact on people’s lives. As social policy has a highly visible and significant impact on economic development and people’s livelihood, studying the topics addressed in the CSP program is thus an asset during the job application process - be it in the field of academia or in more application-oriented areas such as government or NGO work. On the other hand, studying at the Oxford Institute of Social Policy has, in addition to learning about social policy, enabled me to familiarise myself with UK higher education and get in contact with Oxford academics and alumni.
Both came in handy when I went to a job interview at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) in London for a position as a Lecturer in Chinese Politics. All researchers invited to an interview had researched Chinese politics for years, so how would I stand out? Firstly, I was able to show how the Politics Department did not have any researcher specialising on the important field of social policy. As students would be interested in learning about social inequality or population ageing in China, this was an advantage. Secondly, I now had experienced the higher education systems of both the UK and Germany. Being familiar with two very different educational systems was thus an advantage in the application processes. Of course teaching experience and publications positively reflect on a researcher as well, yet to stand out and get the position, a bit more was needed. I was offered the position the same day.
Applying CSP knowledge during my current job
Looking back at the advantages and disadvantages of the MSc, I can say today that CSP has helped me grasp many complex issues which are important to understanding Chinese state and society as well as other countries, including my native Germany. I now more deeply comprehend, for instance, how means-tested and universal social programmes affect society differently, or how and why pension and health systems work the way they do – knowledge which I can use when teaching classes, writing papers or participating in academic conferences. Yet, what the MSc has not so much provided me with is an understanding of social policy in the Global South. With its focus on “the West”, only limited time is allocated to other world regions. Nonetheless, the MSc has ultimately given me a tool kit I can use when researching elder care policy implementation in China, which has become my new research focus.
Reference
Dean, Hartley (2006). Social Policy. Cambridge: Polity Press.
About the Author
Christina Maags is a Lecturer in Chinese Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, specializing in the politics of demographic change as well as cultural politics in China. She is currently working on a project which examines Chinese local governments’ role in devising and implementing policies for providing long-term care. In addition, Christina has worked on the multi-level implementation of UNESCO-inspired policies in China, particularly focusing on local governments.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect any editorial policy.