Program Highlighted | Sociology
Interview with | Elsielyn Ing
Date | March 2004

Interview | Elsielyn Ing

Carlos is an Innis College fourth year Sociology specialist.

Innis: Would you introduce yourself?
Elsielyn: My name is Elsielyn Ng, and I'm a fourth year Sociology Specialist.

Innis:What initially attracted you to Sociology?
Elsielyn: Well, actually I didn't really think about doing Sociology when I was in high school. I always considered doing Psychology, Linguistics, or English- something like that. In first year I took all of those courses and I realized that Psychology wasn't my thing, and that Sociology interested me a lot more.

Innis: It sounds like it is hard to pin down!
Elsielyn: It is difficult. I'm in my fourth year and I still have a hard time explaining it to my mom.

Innis: What roles did advice and influence from your peers, mentors, relatives and other people play in your decision to pursue Sociology?
Elsielyn: No one that I knew took Sociology before. I've always wanted to be a teacher, and I needed to do an undergraduate degree first, and I just stumbled upon Sociology. My Mom and Dad supported me in what I enjoyed.

Innis: Do you want to be an elementary teacher?
Elsielyn: Yes. If I wanted to teach in a high school I would need to have "teachables", which Sociology is not.

Innis: Do you know which age group you would like to teach?
Elsielyn: Definitely not kindergarten! Right now I have a job as a preschool teacher. I've worked for Toronto Parks and Recreation for the last five years, and while I enjoy it, I don't think I could do it as a career. I also volunteer at a public school in a grade 3/4 classroom and I love that age level, so maybe I'll end up there.

Innis: Are you combining Sociology with another program?
Elsielyn: Other than my Specialist in Sociology I am also doing two minor programs in East Asian Sudies and Linguistics. All of my courses are required for my programs, which is okay, because I really enjoy those three fields.

Innis: How do your two minors relate to Sociology?
Elsielyn: At first they don't sound very related, but there are underlying connections. In terms of Linguistics I am most interested in Sociolingustics. Linguistics is one of those disciplines that is really hard to sum up in a few words, but it's basically the study of language. Sociolinguistics, then, is about how social class affects speech. So, being lower class, and a woman, with a low-level education- how is all of that reflected in her speech as compared to someone who is considered upper class, with a high income and high level of education? I am more interested in that, which completely falls under Sociology.

Innis:And what about East Asian Studies?
Elsielyn: There isn't such a clear connection, but we discuss Politics and History, and Sociology deals with historical events. We don't analyze events in history in isolation, but in Sociology we would come up with a study about, say, "What are the after effects of World War II on society?"

Innis: Excellent. Back to Sociology: what aspect(s) of your program do you find fascinating or inspiring- curriculum, professors, fellow students?
Elsielyn: I think that it is a combination of all of those. Definitley I have to find the curriculum fascinating, because there is a lot of work to do. If you don't like what you are studying you are in trouble. The profs are very important; even if you are interested in the material, a boring prof who doesn't convey that excitement can make the course lose all appeal. Luckily, I haven't had many of those. I also like how broad Sociology is, you can apply it to so many areas- pretty much everything.

Innis:I hear that Sociology also requires students to take statistics and other research-oriented courses. Would you mind discussing this part of the curriculum?
Elsielyn: You don't need to take hard-core statistics unless you are a Specialist. I took that course last year and it surprisingly wasn't too bad. I was dreading it, but it was actually pretty good because our professor was great. She really tried to make it easy for us. In terms of research there is a qualitative analysis course that's offered to Specialists. Stats is quantitative, and this course explored the qualitative side of Sociology.

Sociology is a very fragmented discipline. There is a big debate about methods and approaches, and between schools of thought. That's partly why it's hard to describe to someone what I am studying because there is such variety within Sociology. The social sciences have always struggled for approval from others to be considered an equal "science", so some sociologists are sticklers for statistics and 'facts' and don't consider interviewing to be sound research. Other professors prefer the qualitative way, and feel that numbers alone cannot capture the experience of a person in a particular society. Also, different research methods can yield different results.

Innis:Which way do you lean in the debate?
Elsielyn: I used to sit on the fence, but I think that I am more of a qualitative person. I'm not against statistics; I understand why people need to have numbers- because they can believe in numbers. I find it more interesting to interview people. It takes a lot more time, but you actually get to hear about their personal experiences.

Innis:Have you actually been able to do research and your own interviews?
Elsielyn: In qualitative analysis last year we had to do a major research project using qualitative methods and I collaborated with a friend of mine. We are both Chinese Canadians, and there is very little literature in Sociology about second generation Chinese. We are both second generation and I've always struggled between being Canadian/White and being Chinese, especially when I was young. We had a lot of freedom in the project, we just needed to have it approved and then we were free to begin interviewing. Our paper was recommended for the prize for best undergraduate Sociology paper. We didn't win, but it was still exciting to be recommended.

Innis: What was your thesis?
Elsielyn: Actually, going into research it isn't necessary to have a specific thesis, although some people do. My partner and I had an area we wanted to focus on: adolescent (14 to 25 year old) second generation Chinese and self-identification. Basically it was about how they dealt with their dual culture and how they integrated with the rest of society, such as their other friends.

Innis: Were there any concrete results?
Elsielyn: A pattern of three groups did emerge. One group identified most strongly with Hong Kong and China. Another group was composed of Canadian-born people who weren't necessarily rejecting their Chinese culture, but they were more into the mainstream culture. A third group was in the middle, which didn't completely belong in either. This is where I fit in, I feel both, I don't totally reject my Chinese traditions and I also don't only hang out with my Chinese friends.

Innis: Do you find being in the middle a difficult balance?
Elsielyn: I personally found it hard to deal with when I was little, because my upbringing was so different from my non-Chinese friends. I didn't know where I belonged for the longest time, but then I eventually realized that I don't have to make a choice, I can be both, and that's who I am.

Innis: It definitely sounds as though you've struck a healthy balance. I was also wondering about how you have found the resources offered by Sociology throughout your four years?
Elsielyn: I would say that they are pretty good. Due to the fragmentation of the discipline, many Sociology departments at different universities have shut down. U of T's department is fairly large and very vibrant. There are professors that are interested in all areas and methods of Sociology, and who are doing incredible research.

Innis:Of all of your courses in Sociology, which one have you liked the most?
Elsielyn: Right now I am taking Ethnicity, and if I were going to pursue a Master's degree that is definitely what I would study. I also, oddly enough, really liked statistics, which I attribute to the professor.

Innis: How did the class size and the frequency of interaction with the professor affect how you liked a course?
Elsielyn: You actually don't get into small class sizes unless you are doing a Specialist. In third year I was in really small classes of about twenty people. It was great and really scary too, because I was used to being totally anonymous. The professor knows who you are in a small class, and I found it a more challenging overall. Also, you get to know other Specialists, because you have a few courses together and everyone is struggling with the same material. The department is really good to the Specialists, such as giving money to classes for small social events.

Innis:Are you glad that you decided to do a Specialist then?
Elsielyn: No regrets at all!

Innis:Have you ever considered doing a Master of Arts degree?
Elsielyn: I did, but I think that to do graduate work, you have to be totally passionate about your subject, because it's a long journey. You need to really want it to be able to devote all of your time to it. I'm really interested in ethnicity, but I don't think I have that passion right now.

Innis: What extracurricular activities have you done while at U of T?
Elsielyn: I hold two part-time jobs and this year I also joined the USSU (Undergraduate Sociology Student Union) as Publicity Coordinator. The union is great; they started up a job-shadowing program last year, and hopefully this year's will be as successful. In a way I wish that I had done more, especially my first two years, because it's important to be able to look back on university and have memories other than all of the work. I live at home, and I think that the best way to get involved is to live on campus. But I do like living at home, and I also wouldn't have been able to keep my job at the preschool if I was living downtown-I love my job and wouldn't give it up.

Innis:Do you have any last words for students who are thinking of going into Sociology?
Elsielyn: Be prepared to do a lot of difficult reading! You need to be creative and analytical at the same time, because originality in papers is highly valued. I would also highly recommend doing the Specialist program, because it can lead you in so many directions afterwards (not only into Social Work!) Also, have fun! Do the best you can, but don't forget to enjoy being a university student.

For furher information about the program in University of Toronto and beyond, click here.