On the afternoon of April 14, 2023, the 8th session of the Middle East Studies Society hosted by the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University was held at Songjiang Campus. Xiang Chen, Assistant Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, was invited to give a lecture entitled Representation and Intervention in Social Science: Case Studies in International Politics and Public Policy to graduate students. Wang Kai, a lecturer at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Shanghai International Studies University, participated in the dialogue, and more than ten students and faculty members attended the event. The lecture was hosted by Wen Shaobiao, an assistant researcher at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University.

Xiang Chen introduced her academic experience and current research area, and used the publication of two international papers as a case study to explain in detail two research methods, the synthetic control method and the matching method, to demonstrate how to apply representation and intervention in the natural sciences for natural language analysis in the social sciences.

In the dialogue session, Wang Kai said that Xiang Chen's research topic is novel and the natural experimental method used has some applicability in social science subjects, which provides new ideas for social science research, and he expects an in-depth exchange on related research methods in the future.

At the end of the lecture, Xiang Chen also interacted with the students present on the methodological issues such as natural language analysis and questionnaires, and answered the questions raised in detail.

Assistant Researcher Wen Shaobiao summarized the lecture and expressed his gratitude to Xiang Chen for her wonderful lecture, Wang Kai for his wonderful comments, and all the students and teachers for their active participation.

The Middle East Studies Society is one of the important academic exchange platforms built by the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, aiming at deepening the grasp of the frontier issues of regional and country studies, deepening the understanding of the current development of the Middle East situation, and conducting Middle East studies with an interdisciplinary perspective and approach through various forms of salon activities. The aim is to deepen the understanding of the current situation in the Middle East and to conduct Middle East studies with an interdisciplinary perspective and approach.