Yogyakarta – School of Graduate Studies UIN Sunan Kalijaga once again hosted a prestigious academic event by inviting an international scholar.
On Monday, June 23, 2025, hall of the School of Graduate Studies, became the venue for a vibrant workshop titled “Research Methodology in Comparative Muslim Societies” featuring Dr. Stéphane LaCroix, a renowned sociologist from Sciences Po Paris, France.
In an engaging and interactive session, Dr. LaCroix provided a practical and insightful explanation on how to design research within the field of social sciences.
He emphasized the importance of adopting methodologies that align with the nature of disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and political science.
“I work within the field of social sciences. So what I will be talking about here is social sciences. And social sciences have very specific methods, right?” Dr. LaCroix stated as he opened his presentation.
He began by stressing that meaningful research always stems from personal interest. According to him, research is a long and often challenging journey that requires genuine passion from the researcher.
“Don’t force yourself to do things that you’re not interested in. Because if you don’t have personal interest, you’re not carried by anything,” he advised.
In addition to interest, he reminded participants of the importance of ensuring the availability of data and sources.
Many research topics may seem intellectually appealing, yet fail to materialize due to lack of empirical support.
“The second thing is when you choose a topic, always make sure it is researchable. Because the next big question is: what are the sources?” he added.
As a scholar who has long studied the Islamic world through a social science lens, Dr. LaCroix also shared insights from his personal research journey.
He referred to classical sociological thinkers as well as contemporary scholars who focus on the Muslim world.
“I will give you my perspective. I don’t claim that this is the only perspective, but I will share with you my view on how to construct research,” he noted.
The workshop was attended by faculty members and postgraduate students from various academic backgrounds.
Participants showed great enthusiasm throughout the session, which, although delivered in English, remained accessible and easy to follow.
The event was officially opened by the Director of School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Dr. Moch. Nur Ichwan, S.Ag., M.A., accompanied by Vice Director Ahmad Rafiq, S.Ag., M.A., Ph.D. The session was moderated smoothly by Dr. Akmal Ihsan.