This book gathers the author's interviews with twenty leading sociologists from various fields at nine different prestigious universities in the USA, including their viewpoints, anecdotes and experiences in the world of sociology. Each chapter presents an interview with one sociologist, covering their views on contemporary sociology, their early university experiences, teaching experiences, experiences with publishing, and their reflections on life as a sociologist.

Through the dialogues, readers can learn about sociology as well as sociologists' lives in a unique and insightful way - just as the author did - and embark on a journey of discovering sociology. The book helps readers find their own answers to the two main questions explored: "What is sociology?" and "What is a sociologist's life like?"

Autorentext
Long Chen is the Boya Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Sociology at Peking University where he obtained his doctoral degree in 2019. His research interests are focused on labor process, industrial relationship, youth employment, platform economy as well as Internet technology, etc. In 2016-2017, Chen was invited to Harvard Sociology Department as a Visiting Fellow with the support of Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC). During that period, Chen launched this interview project which aims at bringing American sociology as well as American sociologists' viewpoints, stories and experiences to Chinese young sociology students, young scholars as well as the public.

Inhalt
Preface.- Introduction.- Christopher Winship, Harvard University.- Peter V. Marsden, Harvard University.- Mary C. Waters, Harvard University.- John L. Campbell, Dartmouth College.- Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard University.- Frank Dobbin, Harvard University.- Mario L. Small, Harvard University.- Jeffery C. Alexander, Yale University.- James A. Evans, University of Chicago.- Andrew D. Abbott, University of Chicago.- Dingxin Zhao, University of Chicago.- Arlie R. Hochschild, University of California, Berkeley.- Peter S. Bearman, Columbia University.- Michele Lamont, Harvard University.- Viviana A. Zelizer, Princeton University.- Annette P. Lareau, University of Pennsylvania.- Philip S. Gorski, Yale University.- Randall Collins, University of Pennsylvania.- Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley.- Andrew G. Walder, Stanford University.- Postscript.