The Basic Pattern and Development Trends of Research on the Cult Problem in Graduate Education

Cults are regarded as heresies within religion and as “cancers” that harm society. The spread and proliferation of cults seriously threaten the safety of people’s lives and property as well as social harmony and stability. The cult problem has become a worldwide challenge. In recent years, the methods of cult activities have become increasingly covert, cult phenomena have grown more complex, and the struggle between cults and anti-cult forces has reached a stalemate, with the anti-cult struggle entering a new phase. At the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to “adhere to the direction of sinicizing religion in China and actively guide religion to adapt to socialist society. A team of religious studies researchers must be cultivated who are ideologically and politically steadfast, adhere to the Marxist view of religion, have a good academic style, and are adept at innovation, and the disciplinary construction of Marxist religious studies must be strengthened.” [1]1 Xi Jinping’s speech at the National Conference on Religious Work, held in December 2021, which emphasized the sinicization of religion and the strengthening of Marxist religious studies. This has pointed the way for research on the cult problem in the New Era. Since the 1990s, domestic scholars have conducted extensive research on the cult problem. Statistically sorting and quantitatively analyzing existing achievements holds important theoretical value and practical significance for implementing the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work.

邪教被认为是宗教中的异端，是危害社会的“毒瘤”。邪教的传播和蔓延，严重威胁着人民群众生命和财产安全和社会的和谐和稳定。邪教问题已成为世界性难题。近年来，邪教活动的方式越来越隐蔽，邪教现象越来越复杂，邪教和反邪教之间的斗争处于胶着状态，反邪教斗争进入一个新的阶段。习近平总书记在2021年全国宗教工作会议上强调，要“坚持我国宗教中国化方向，积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应。要培养一支思想政治坚定、坚持马克思主义宗教观、学风优良、善于创新的宗教学研究队伍，加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设”。这为新时代邪教问题的研究指明了方向。二十世纪九十年代以来，国内学者对邪教问题进行了大量的研究，对已有成果进行统计梳理并作出定量分析，对于落实好全国宗教工作会议精神有着重要的理论价值和现实意义。

I. Research Methods and Sample Selection

一、研究方法和样本选取

(I) Research Methods

（一）研究方法

This paper employs bibliometrics and textual analysis. The data analysis items in this paper include: author, thesis topic, discipline of the degree, degree-granting institution, date of degree conferral, advisor, degree type, and post-graduation mobility. Part of the above data is obtained from the theses themselves, and part is obtained from articles published by the authors after obtaining their degrees, such as post-graduation mobility information.

本文运用文献计量学和文本分析法，本文的数据分析项包括：作者、论文主题、学位所属学科、学位授予机构、学位授予时间、指导老师、学位类型、毕业后的流动等。上述数据的获取，一部分来自学位论文自身，一部分通过作者在获得学位后发表的文章获取，如毕业后的流动信息。

(II) Sample Selection

（二）样本选取

In the early period after the founding of New China, the term “hui dao men” (secret societies and sects) was generally used domestically to refer to what are today called “cults.” Since the 1990s, the use of the term “cult” (xiejiao) has become increasingly frequent. Based on this, the authors conducted a full-field search in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) dissertation database and the Wanfang Data knowledge service platform dissertation database, using search terms such as “hui dao men,” “xiejiao” (cult), “cultic group,” “FLG,” “Almighty God,” and other specific sect names, as well as the names of related cult leaders. The search period was set from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2020. After screening and analysis, removing duplicates between the two databases and papers unrelated to the “cult theme,” a total of 205 valid samples were obtained, including 32 doctoral dissertations, 121 academic master’s theses, and 52 professional master’s theses, accounting for 15.6%, 59%, and 25.4% respectively. The year 1990 was chosen as the starting point for the search because no relevant doctoral or master’s theses were found in the databases before 1990.

新中国建立初期，国内一般用“会道门”来称呼今天所说的“邪教”。20世纪90年代以来，“邪教”一词的使用日益频繁。基于此，笔者通过中国知网(CNKI)学位论文数据库和万方数据知识服务平台学位论文数据库，输入“会道门”“邪教”“膜拜团体”，“FLG”“全能神”等具体教派名称以及相关邪教的教主进行全字段检索，检索时间选择1990年1月1日至2020年12月31日。经过筛查与分析，剔除两个数据库相互重复和与“邪教主题”无关的论文，共得到有效样本205篇，其中有博士学位论文32篇、学术硕士学位论文121篇、专业硕士学位论文52篇，三者所占比例分别为15.6%、59%、25.4%。之所以选择1990年作为检索起始时间，是因为1990年之前数据库没有检索到相关的博硕士学位论文。

II. Data Analysis and Results

二、数据分析及结果

To understand and grasp the basic pattern of research on the cult problem, the authors analyzed data from doctoral and master’s theses on the cult problem in the CNKI dissertation database from 1990 to 2020 from three dimensions: geographical distribution, faculty and student situation, and research perspective. The data show that the geographical distribution and institutional distribution of cult research achievements are somewhat unbalanced. The characteristics of relevant disciplinary programs at different research institutions vary, and there are also certain characteristics in research teams, advisors, and mentorship relationships, as well as differences in research perspectives.

为了了解和掌握邪教问题研究的基本格局，笔者从地域分布、师生情况、研究视角三个维度对中国知网学位论文数据库中1990～2020年涉及邪教问题的博硕士学位论文的数据进行了分析。由数据可知，邪教研究成果的地域分布和机构分布不是很平衡，不同研究机构相关学科专业的设置各有特点，在研究团队、指导教师及师承关系上也具有一定的特点，同时研究视角也有所不同。

(I) Geographical Distribution, Institutional Distribution, and Disciplinary Program Setup

（一）地域分布、机构分布及学科专业设置

The data show that the correlation between the geographical distribution, training institutions, and affiliated disciplines of the above doctoral and master’s theses is relatively weak, but there is a certain tendency.

数据显示，以上博硕士学位论文的地域分布、所在培养机构及所属学科专业相关性较弱，但是具有一定的倾向性。

1. From a geographical distribution perspective, Beijing is the city with the highest intensity of research on the cult problem.

1.从地域分布来看，北京市是研究邪教问题热度最高的城市

According to the statistics on the number of theses, Beijing is far ahead, with its proportion of theses reaching 28%. Next is Shanghai at 10%, and Shandong Province ranks third in the number of theses, with the third to sixth places being relatively close. Looking at the top ten provinces and municipalities directly under the central government, the number of theses in Beijing is almost three times that of Shanghai, which ranks second. The number of theses from the top four places accounts for more than half of the total theses. This indicates that Beijing is the city with the highest intensity of research on the cult problem.

根据对学位论文数量的统计，北京市遥遥领先，其学位论文比例达到28%。其次是上海市10%，山东省的论文数量排名第三，三四五六名不相上下。从排名前十的省直辖市来看，北京市的论文数量几乎是第二名上海市的3倍，排名前四名的论文数量占到论文总量的一半多。这表明北京市是研究邪教问题热度最高的城市。

Taking ten-year intervals, it can be seen that Beijing has consistently remained in first place. The trend in the number of theses across almost all provinces and municipalities is the same: there was an explosive growth in the number of theses after the 1999 FLG incident, followed by a gradual decline. Between 1990 and 2000, there were only 9 theses in total: 8 in Beijing, 1 in Jiangsu Province, and 0 in other provinces and municipalities. Between 2001 and 2010, the growth rate in the number of theses in the top ten provinces and municipalities was 89%. After the 1999 FLG incident, especially following the establishment of the China Anti-Cult Association on November 13, 2000, academic research on the cult problem gained attention. Between 2011 and 2020, the decline rate in the number of theses in the top ten provinces and municipalities was 25%. The 1999 FLG incident caused a significant increase in the number of graduate theses on cult-related topics. After this incident was brought under control, the number of theses dropped markedly. This indicates that, on the one hand, in graduate education, academic research responds quickly to current events and hotspots; on the other hand, the number of graduate theses is highly correlated with the national situation and public opinion.

以10年时间段为区间，可以看出北京市始终保持在第一位，几乎所有省市的学位论文数量的变化趋势是相同的，都是在1999年FLG事件之后出现了学位论文爆发式增长，而后逐渐回落。1990－2000年间，总共只有9篇学位论文，北京市8篇，江苏省1篇，其它省市为0篇；2001－2010年间，排名前10省市学位论文数量的增幅比例是89%，1999年FLG事件之后，尤其是2000年11月13日中国反邪教协会的成立，对邪教问题的学术研究得到关注；2011－2020年间，排名前10省市学位论文数量的降幅比例是25%，1999年FLG事件引起了邪教相关主题的研究生学位论文数量的大幅增加，在这一事件得到控制之后，论文数量下降明显。这表明：一方面在研究生培养上，学术研究会对时事热点做出迅速反应，另一方面研究生论文数量与国家形势和大众舆论高度相关。

2. From the perspective of training institutions, Beijing has the highest number.

2.从培养机构来看，北京市数量最多

Based on statistical data from 1990 to 2020, regarding the training institutions where the theses were produced, a total of 86 training institutions have conducted research on the cult problem. The number of theses from the top 10 institutions accounts for about 40% of the total, the top 20 about 60%, and the top 30 about 70%. The top 10 institutions include: Renmin University of China, Shandong University, People’s Public Security University of China, Wuhan University, Shanghai Normal University, Northeast Normal University, Tsinghua University, Jilin University, Fudan University, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Among these institutions, 4 are in Beijing, 2 in Shanghai, 2 in Jilin Province, 1 in Shandong Province, and 1 in Hubei Province. From the institutional dimension of researching the cult problem, the number of institutions in Beijing is the highest, indicating that a certain scale of research capacity on the cult problem has formed in Beijing.

基于1990－2020年间的统计数据，在学位论文所在培养机构方面，目前共计86个培养机构开展邪教问题研究，其中排名前10的机构学位论文数量约占4成，排名前20的约占6成，排名前30的约占7成。排名前10的机构包括：中国人民大学、山东大学、中国人民公安大学、武汉大学、上海师范大学、东北师范大学、清华大学、吉林大学、复旦大学、中国社会科学院。这些机构中，北京市的机构有4家，上海市有2家，吉林省有2家，山东省有1家，湖北省有1家。从机构维度看研究邪教问题，北京市的机构数量是最多的，说明北京市在研究邪教问题力量分布上已经形成了一定的规模。

From a temporal dimension, the status of cult research at various institutions differs. Renmin University of China, Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Nanjing University were the earliest institutions to begin research on the cult problem. In the 1990s, the number of theses from Renmin University of China was six times that of the other three institutions combined. After entering the 21st century, 82 more training institutions successively joined the ranks of cult problem research. In the first decade of the 21st century, Renmin University of China, Wuhan University, Shandong University, Jilin University, Nanjing University, Shanghai Normal University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and China University of Political Science and Law became the institutions conducting more research on the cult problem. Between 2011 and 2020, institutions conducting more research on the cult problem included People’s Public Security University of China, Shandong University, Wuhan University, Tsinghua University, Inner Mongolia University, and Shanxi University.

从时间维度上看，各个院校邪教研究的状况有所不同。中国人民大学、北京大学、中国社会科学院和南京大学是最早开始开展邪教问题研究的机构。中国人民大学在20世纪90年代的学位论文数量是其他三家的6倍。进入21世纪后，陆续有82个培养机构加入了邪教问题研究的队伍。21世纪初前10年，中国人民大学、武汉大学、山东大学、吉林大学、南京大学、上海师范大学、中国社会科学院和中国政法大学成为较多开展邪教问题研究的机构。2011－2020年间，开展邪教问题研究较多的机构包括中国人民公安大学、山东大学、武汉大学、清华大学、内蒙古大学和山西大学等。

3. From the perspective of disciplines, it is mainly concentrated in the humanities and social sciences.

3.从学科专业来看，主要集中在人文社会科学领域

Statistical data from 1990 to 2020 show that, in terms of academic disciplines, the disciplines with a relatively high volume of research on the cult problem mainly include: modern and contemporary Chinese history, the Juris Master, the Master of Public Administration, criminal law, ancient Chinese history, sociology, religious studies, and ideological and political education. This, to some extent, reflects the disciplinary distribution of research on the cult problem. According to the *Catalogue of Disciplines for Degree Conferral and Talent Cultivation* and the *Catalogue of Disciplines and Specialties for Conferring Doctoral and Master’s Degrees and Cultivating Graduate Students* (2008) issued by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, the specialties of modern and contemporary Chinese history, ancient Chinese history, and specialized history are classified under the first-level discipline of history; the specialty of religious studies is classified under the first-level discipline of philosophy; and the specialty of ideological and political education is classified under the first-level discipline of Marxist theory. The first-level disciplines involved in researching the cult problem include history, law, philosophy, sociology, Marxist philosophy, political science, public security studies, ethnology, pedagogy, psychology, and so on. Statistical analysis from the perspective of first-level disciplines shows that history and law account for the highest proportions, followed by philosophy and Marxist theory, which is basically consistent with the situation of the top 10 specialties.

1990－2020年间的统计数据显示，在学科专业上，开展邪教问题研究较多的学科专业主要包括：中国近现代史、法律硕士、公共管理硕士、刑法学、中国古代史、社会学、宗教学、思想政治教育等。这在某种程度上也体现了开展邪教问题研究的学科分布情况。按照国务院学位委员会下发的《学位授予和人才培养学科目录》和《授予博士、硕士学位和培养研究生的学科、专业目录》（2008年）,中国近现代史、中国古代史、专门史这些专业被归入历史学一级学科，宗教学专业被归入哲学一级学科，思想政治教育专业被归入马克思主义理论一级学科。研究邪教问题的一级学科包括历史学、法学、哲学、社会学、马克思主义哲学、政治学、公安学、民族学、教育学、心理学等，从一级学科进行统计分析，历史学和法学占比是最高的，其次是哲学和马克思主义理论，这和排名前10专业的情况基本一致。

From the perspective of training institutions, taking the data of the top 10 institutions as the object of analysis, the academic disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem vary across institutions. At Renmin University of China, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include history, political science, religious studies, sociology, and ideological and political education, with history accounting for 79%, and doctoral dissertations being 1.2 times the number of master’s theses. At Shandong University, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include history, the Juris Master, and sociology, with the Juris Master accounting for half and history accounting for 40%, and master’s degree theses accounting for 90%. At People’s Public Security University of China, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include public security studies and the Master of Policing, with public security studies being the dominant discipline and master’s theses being predominant. At Wuhan University, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include law, religious studies, and history, with no significant differences in research strength among these three disciplines. At Shanghai Normal University, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include history and literature, with history accounting for 87.5%. At Jilin University, the only discipline for researching the cult problem is law, and it is the earliest institution to conduct research on cult-related crimes from a legal perspective. At Tsinghua University, the disciplines and specialties for researching the cult problem include public administration, ideological and political education, and philosophy of science and technology, with the proportions of theses in these three specialties being 60%, 15%, and 15%, respectively. Thus, the different disciplines and specialties involved across training institutions also indicate the multidisciplinary nature of research on the cult problem.

从培养机构角度看，以排名前10机构的数据为分析对象，不同机构研究邪教问题的学科专业各有特色。中国人民大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有历史学、政治学、宗教学、社会学、思想政治教育，其中历史学的占比为79%，且博士论文是硕士论文的1.2倍；山东大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有历史学、法律硕士和社会学，法律硕士占到一半，历史学占比为40%，硕士学位论文占比为90%；中国人民公安大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有公安学和警务硕士，公安学是主导学科，以硕士论文为主；武汉大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有法学、宗教学、历史学，这三个学科的研究力量并未显示出明显的差异性；上海师范大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有历史学和文学，历史学占比87.5%；吉林大学研究邪教问题的学科专业只有法学，是最早开始从法律角度开展对邪教涉罪进行研究的机构；清华大学研究邪教问题的学科专业有公共管理、思想政治教育和科学技术哲学三个专业，三个专业的论文占比分别为60%、15%、15%。由此可见，不同培养机构涉及的学科专业不同，也表明了邪教问题研究的多学科性质。

From a temporal perspective, the earliest discipline to focus on research on the cult problem was history, and this occurred before the Falun Gong incident. [2]2 The Falun Gong (FLG) incident refers to the suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement by the Chinese Communist Party in 1999, after which it was officially designated a cult. The involvement of other disciplines all came after the Falun Gong incident. Psychology was the last discipline to engage, with its theses accounting for only 0.5%.

从时间上看，最早关注邪教问题研究的学科是历史学，而且是在FLG事件之前，其他学科的介入都是在“FLG”事件之后，心理学是最后一个关注的学科且论文占比仅为0.5%。

Over time, the number of regions and training institutions conducting research on the cult problem grew rapidly and then continued to increase, while the proportion of degree theses peaked and then gradually declined. This indicates that more and more regions and training institutions are paying attention to the cult problem, yet research strength and research outcomes are becoming more dispersed.

随着时间的推移，开展邪教问题研究的地域和培养机构快速增长后还持续增加，而学位论文比例达到峰值后逐步回落，说明关注邪教问题的地域和培养机构越来越多，然而研究力量和研究成果更加分散。

(II) Research Teams, Supervisors, and Mentoring Lineages

（二）研究团队、指导教师及师承关系

The data show that the characteristics of the supervisor-student relationships in these doctoral and master’s degree theses vary. Broadly speaking, they can be analyzed from three factors: research teams, supervisors, and mentoring lineages.

数据显示，这些博硕士学位论文的师生关系特点各异。大致来说，可以从研究团队、指导教师及师承关系三个因素去分析。

1. From the perspective of research teams, a stable contingent has not yet formed.

1.从研究团队来看，尚未形成稳定的队伍

Regarding research teams, one can examine the formation of a research team in a given field by looking at the number of teachers who have supervised student theses in the same discipline within a single institution. According to statistical data, across 86 training institutions over more than 30 years, the sustained proportion of such teams is only about 3.5%. Thus, it is evident that research teams rarely form in institutions conducting research on the cult problem; isolated, occasional supervision of students is the common situation. Sample data show that a few universities, such as Renmin University of China, Shandong University, Wuhan University, and Jilin University, once formed relatively stable research teams, but the duration of sustained attention from these teams varied. Renmin University of China lasted from 1990 to 2013, Shandong University from 2007 to 2014, and Wuhan University from 2002 to 2018, with multiple years of interruption in between. Jilin University lasted from 2001 to 2006, after which no further theses appeared. People’s Public Security University of China has had graduate degree theses every year from 2017 to the present. These data suggest that the already scarce research teams are further diminishing over time. In recent years, the only truly active research team is at People’s Public Security University of China. Further investigation reveals that this is because People’s Public Security University of China began recruiting graduate students specializing in the study of cults in 2012.

关于研究团队，可以从某一机构同一学科指导学生论文的教师数量来看某个领域研究人员形成团队的情况。根据统计数据，在30多年86个培养机构中这样的团队持续比例仅为3.5%左右。可见，开展邪教问题研究机构中较少形成研究团队，单独偶发指导学生是普遍的情况。样本数据显示，中国人民大学、山东大学、武汉大学和吉林大学等几所高校曾形成相对稳定的研究团队，而这些研究团队持续关注的时间长短不一。中国人民大学从1990－2013年，山东大学从2007－2014年，武汉大学从2002－2018年，中间曾有多年的间断，吉林大学从2001－2006年，之后再无论文出现。中国人民公安大学是从2017开始至今，每年都有研究生学位论文。从这些数据看，本就稀少的研究队伍随着时间推移还在减少。而近几年真正活跃的研究团队只有中国人民公安大学，经进一步考察发现，中国人民公安大学是因为从2012年起开始招收研究邪教方向的研究生。

2. From the perspective of supervisors, they can be broadly divided into three situations.

2.从指导教师来看，大体分为三种情况

Statistical data from 1990 to 2020 show that the total number of supervisors is 183. They can be divided into three situations: (1) One supervisor supervised 2 or more degree theses, accounting for 8% of the total number of supervisors. Among these supervisors, one supervised up to 10 degree theses, of which 7 were doctoral dissertations and 3 were master’s theses. Of the 7 doctoral graduates, 4 entered universities or research institutes, and 3 subsequently became supervisors themselves, supervising master’s theses on the cult problem, thus forming a certain mentoring lineage. One supervisor continuously supervised 4 doctoral students, conducting in-depth research on theoretical issues of cults. One supervisor supervised the same student’s master’s and doctoral theses, both on the cult problem. These 8% of supervisors supervised 22.4% of the total number of theses. (2) One thesis had two supervisors, accounting for 10% of the total number of supervisors and 4.9% of the total number of theses. Among theses with dual supervisors, 90% indicate joint supervision with an off-campus supervisor, with specialties in law and public administration. (3) One supervisor supervised one degree thesis, accounting for 82% of the total number of supervisors. The trends of these three situations change over time.

1990－2020年间的统计数据显示，指导老师的总数为183人。可以分为三种情况：（1）1位指导老师指导了2篇或2篇以上学位论文，占导师总数的8%。在这些导师中，其中1人最多指导了10篇学位论文，10篇中7篇是博士论文，3篇是硕士论文，7个博士中4人进入高校和科研院所，3人之后又成为指导老师，指导了邪教问题的硕士学位论文，形成了一定的师承关系；有1位导师连续指导4位博士，针对邪教理论问题进行了深入研究；有1位导师指导同一位学生的硕博士论文，都是研究邪教问题；这8%的导师指导的学位论文占到总论文数的22.4%。（2）1篇论文有2位指导老师，占导师总数的10%，占论文总数的4.9%。双导师的论文中，有90%的论文显示是和校外导师联合培养，专业为法律和公共管理。（3）1位指导老师指导了1篇学位论文，占导师总数的82%。以上三种情况随时间变化的趋势。

These data show that a small number of supervisors (8%) have made research on cults a sustained academic interest, but this is also clearly decreasing over time. The situation of dual supervisors has increased significantly with changes in China’s graduate training structure. For the majority of supervisors (92%), cults and the phenomena they trigger belong only to the category of occasional attention.

这些数据显示，少数导师（8%）将涉及邪教的研究作为持续的学术旨趣，但随着时间推移也在明显减少。双导师情况随我国研究生培养结构的变化增加明显。而对于大多数导师（92%）来说，邪教及其引发的现象只属于偶尔关注的范畴。

3. From the perspective of mentoring lineages, two-generation lineages are predominant.

3.从师承关系来看，以两代师承为主

The mentoring lineage referred to in this study means that after the author of a degree thesis graduates, they in turn serve as a supervisor guiding graduate students in research on the cult problem. From this perspective, only those authors of degree theses who enter universities or research institutes after graduation can potentially have a mentoring lineage. The mentoring lineage can be examined through information on the mobility of thesis authors after graduation. Statistical analysis of author mobility data shows that the total number of authors is 204. Within the time frame of this study, 9.3% of authors entered universities or research institutes after graduation, but only 2% of authors subsequently served as supervisors guiding graduate students in research on the cult problem and producing degree theses, forming a three-generation mentoring lineage. The remaining mentoring lineages consist of only two generations.

本研究中所说的师承，指的是学位论文的作者毕业后，又作为指导教师指导研究生进行了邪教问题的研究。从这个角度说，可能有师承关系的只能是学位论文的作者毕业后进入高校或科研院所的。师承关系可以通过学位论文作者毕业后的流动信息来考察。对作者流动信息的统计分析显示，作者的总数是204人，在本研究的时间段内，有9.3%作者毕业后进入高校和科研院所，但仅有2%的作者又作为导师指导研究生进行了邪教问题的研究并形成学位论文，形成了三代师承关系。其余的师承关系只有两代。

Analyzing the reasons behind this, there is a direct relationship with the mobility of students upon graduation. Because accurate information on the flow of students after graduation is difficult to obtain, here we analyze the authors of doctoral dissections specifically: among the 32 doctoral students, by discipline, the largest number was in history, with 18 people, law had 9, and philosophy had 5. After graduation, the whereabouts of 6 of the 32 doctoral students are unknown, while 26 have clear work units. Among the 26, 6 work in government, including 4 in history and 2 in law, accounting for 18.8% of the total doctoral students; they have all grown into management cadres in the Party and government’s political-legal and religious affairs fields. There are 15 university teachers, 3 in research institutes, and 2 in publishing houses; the publishing houses are also affiliated with universities and research institutes, so the number of people who can continue to serve as advisors to students is 20, accounting for 62.5% of the total doctoral students. Among them, 11 are in history, 6 in law, and 3 in philosophy. Among these, 4 have continued to guide students in research on the cult issue, accounting for 12.5% of the total doctoral students. Three are in history, and one is in law. The three advisors in history graduated in 1999, 2001, and 2002 respectively, and guided student dissertations from 2005 to 2013, involving a total of 6 students, with no further students thereafter. The other advisor, who earned a doctorate in law in 2006, guided student dissertations in 2020 at People’s Public Security University of China. From this set of data, the mobility of students upon graduation, entering new professions and jobs, is the main reason for the interruption of the mentor-student lineage in research on the cult issue.

分析其背后的原因，与学生毕业流动有着直接的关系。因学生毕业后准确的流动信息获取困难，此处以博士论文的作者具体分析：32位博士所学专业按学科来分，历史学人数最多为18人，法学9人，哲学5人。32位博士毕业后，6人去向不明，26人有明确的工作单位。26人中在政府工作的6人，其中历史学4人，法学2人，占博士总数的18.8%，他们都成长为国家在政法和宗教领域的管理干部。高校教师15人，科研院所3人，出版社2人，出版社也是高校和科研院所的出版社，故可以作为导师继续指导学生的人数为20人，占博士总数的62.5%。他们中历史学的11人，法学6人，哲学3人。其中曾指导学生继续进行邪教问题研究的4人，占博士总数的12.5%。3人是历史学专业，1人是法学专业。历史学的3位导师毕业年限分别为1999年、2001年、2002年，指导学生学位论文的时间为2005至2013年间，共6位同学，后再无学生。另1位导师是2006年法学学科博士毕业，指导学生学位论文的时间为2020年，在中国人民公安大学。从这组数据来看，学生毕业流动，从事新的职业和工作，是邪教问题研究中师承关系中断的主要原因。

(3) Research Perspectives

（三）研究视角

Statistical data show that the research perspectives of graduate dissertations cover many aspects of cult studies, including (1) the history of secret sects during the Ming and Qing dynasties (some scholars also call them “folk religions” or “secret religions”) and research on Way of Former Heaven and Earth societies [3]3 Way of Former Heaven and Earth societies (会道门): A general term for various secret religious sects and societies that were active in China, especially during the late Qing and Republican periods, often associated with folk beliefs and sometimes with anti-government activities. They were suppressed after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. before and after the founding of the People’s Republic (hereinafter referred to as Perspective 1); (2) research on specific folk secret sects in China, Falun Gong, Almighty God, the Disciples’ Sect, and other specific cults (hereinafter referred to as Perspective 2); (3) research on laws and policies for preventing and handling cult crimes (hereinafter referred to as Perspective 3); (4) theoretical research on cults, involving the definition and characteristics of cults, the survival roots and operational mechanisms of cults, the harms of cults, and other studies (hereinafter referred to as Perspective 4); (5) research on the relationship between overseas new religious movements and contemporary Chinese cults (hereinafter referred to as Perspective 5).

统计数据显示，研究生学位论文研究视角涉及到邪教研究的诸多方面，包括（1）明清时期秘密教门（有些学者亦称之为“民间宗教”或“秘密宗教”）的历史和建国前后会道门的研究（以下简称视角1）；（2）我国具体民间秘密教门、FLG、全能神、门徒会等具体邪教的研究（以下简称视角2）；（3）防范处置邪教犯罪的法律和政策研究（以下简称视角3）；（4）邪教的理论研究，涉及邪教的界定和特征、邪教的生存根源和运作机制、邪教的危害及其它的研究（以下简称视角4）；（5）海外新兴宗教与当代中国邪教之间关系的研究（以下简称视角5）。

From the perspective of degree type, data within the statistical period show that between 1990 and 2000, the number of doctoral dissertations on cult topics was far higher than that of academic master’s dissertations, and during this period, professional master’s dissertations were zero. Between 2001 and 2010, the number of all three types of dissertations increased significantly, with the largest increase in academic master’s dissertations. Between 2011 and 2020, both doctoral dissertations and academic master’s dissertations decreased, while professional master’s dissertations continued to rise sharply. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the structural adjustment of China’s graduate education; professional degrees entered a period of great development after 2005, and full-time professional degree graduate students began to be recruited in 2009, leading to a straight-line increase in professional degree dissertations. Below, we provide a detailed explanation of the changes in research perspectives across different time periods for the three types of dissertations:

从学位类型看，统计时段内数据显示，在1990－2000年间有关邪教主题的博士学位论文远远高于学硕学位论文，这个时期专硕学位论文为零，在2001－2010年间，三种类型论文数量都大幅提升，增幅最大是学硕学位论文。而在2011－2020年间，博士学位论文和学硕学位论文都有减少，专硕学位论文继续直线上升。造成这一现象的原因在于我国研究生教育结构的调整，专业学位在2005年后进入了大发展时期，同时2009年开始招收全日制专业学位研究生，因此专业学位论文直线增长。下面针对三种学位论文在不同时段研究视角的变化情况具体说明：

Between 1990 and 2000, doctoral dissertations focused more on Perspectives 1 and 2 than on Perspective 4, with Perspectives 3 and 5 not covered; between 2001 and 2010, the number of perspectives covered increased from 3 to 4, with Perspective 5 still not covered, and the proportion of dissertations covering each perspective increased, with Perspective 1 seeing the largest increase, becoming the most focused-on perspective; between 2011 and 2020, the number of perspectives covered increased from 4 to 5, with Perspective 5 covered for the first time, and the proportion of dissertations covering Perspectives 1–4 all declined, with Perspective 1 declining the most, and Perspectives 2 and 4 becoming the most focused-on perspectives during this period. Analyzing the reasons behind this, it is mainly because:

博士学位论文在1990－2000年间，对视角1和2的关注多于视角4，视角3、5没有涉及；2001－2010年间，关注的视角从3个增加到4个，视角5仍然没有关注，关注视角的论文比例都有所增加，视角1的增幅最大，是最受关注的视角；2011－2020年间，关注的视角从4个增加至5个，视角5首次关注，视角1－4的论文比例都在下降，视角1的下降幅度最大，这个时期视角2和4成为最受关注的视角。分析其背后的原因，主要是因为：

The topics covered in doctoral dissertations are closely related to social current events and their fluctuations in popularity, and even more closely related to the discipline and advisor. In the three statistical periods: between 1990 and 2000, the disciplines of doctoral dissertations were history and philosophy of science and technology, with history dissertations four times as many as philosophy of science and technology; history tended to study cults from Perspectives 1 and 2, while philosophy of science and technology leaned toward Perspective 4; between 2001 and 2010, the disciplines of doctoral dissertations were history, religious studies, law, and sociology, with a ratio of 10:3:2:1 among these four; history’s perspective was mostly Perspective 1, six times that of Perspective 2, while religious studies also studied from Perspectives 1 and 2, and sociology studied from Perspective 4, causing the largest increase in Perspective 1 dissertations during this period; between 2011 and 2020, the disciplines of doctoral dissertations were history, religious studies, law, sociology, political science, public security studies, and Marxist theory, seven disciplines in total. The reason for the sharp decline in the proportion of Perspective 1 doctoral dissertations is that two history doctoral advisors who had long been engaged in secret society research retired successively. From this period, the research perspectives of doctoral dissertations tend more toward theoretical research on cults and comparative studies of Chinese and foreign cults.

博士学位论文所涉及的主题和社会时事及其热度变化有紧密关系，更和所在学科专业和指导教师关系密切。在统计的三个时间段内：1990-2000年间博士学科论文所属学科为历史学和科技哲学，历史学的学位论文是科技哲学的4倍，历史学更倾向从视角1、2来研究邪教，而科技哲学偏向视角4；2001-2010年间博士学位论文所属学科为历史学、宗教学、法学和社会学，这个时期四者的学位论文比例为10:3:2:1，历史学的视角多为1，是视角2的6倍，而宗教学也是从视角1和视角2来进行研究，社会学是从视角4进行，造成这个时段视角1的论文增幅最大；2011-2020年间博士学位论文所属学科为历史学、宗教学、法学、社会学、政治学、公安学、马克思主义理论七个学科，造成视角1博士论文比例大幅下降的原因是两位多年从事秘密社会研究的历史学博导相继退休，从这个时段看，博士学位的研究视角更倾向于对邪教的理论研究和中外邪教比较研究。

Between 1990 and 2000, academic master’s dissertations only covered Perspective 2, and at a low proportion; between 2001 and 2010, the number of perspectives covered increased from 1 to 5, with the most focus on Perspective 2; between 2011 and 2020, the attention to Perspective 4 increased somewhat, but the increase was not large, while the proportion of dissertations covering the other three perspectives declined significantly; comparatively, the most focus remained on Perspective 2. The main reason for this result is the 1999 Falun Gong incident [4]4 The 1999 Falun Gong incident: Refers to the large-scale protest by Falun Gong practitioners outside the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on April 25, 1999, which led to the Chinese government’s decision to ban Falun Gong as a cult and launch a nationwide crackdown., which led to a significant increase in the proportion of dissertations in the second statistical period. After this incident was brought under control, attention to the cult issue gradually decreased. Perspective 4 did not decline correspondingly, indicating that over time, the cult issue has come to be studied more deeply from a theoretical perspective.

学硕学位论文在1990－2000年这个统计时段内，仅关注视角2且比例较低；2001－2010年时段内，关注视角从1个增至5个，关注最多的是视角2；2011－2020年时段内，视角4关注度有所提升，提升比例不大，其它三个视角论文比例明显下降，相比较而言，关注最多依然是视角2。造成这个结果的主要原因是1999年FLG事件，导致在第二个统计时段内论文比例大幅增长，这一事件得到控制后，对邪教问题的关注逐渐降低。视角4没有相应下降，说明随着时间的推移，邪教问题更注重从理论上进行深入研究。

Professional master’s dissertations began to focus on the cult issue in the 2001–2010 period, with Perspective 3 seeing the largest increase, mainly from Juris Master students; Perspectives 1 and 5 were not covered, and Perspectives 2 and 4 received little attention; in the 2011–2020 period, with the expansion of professional master’s enrollment, attention to Perspectives 1, 2, and 4 all increased significantly, while Perspective 5 still received no attention. The pattern of change in research perspectives of professional master’s dissertations over time is highly correlated with the pattern of structural adjustment in China’s graduate education.

专硕学位论文从2001－2010年时段开始关注邪教问题，视角3增幅最大，主要是法律硕士，视角1和5没有关注，视角2和4关注也很少；2011－2020年时段内，随着专硕招生规模的扩大，视角1、2和4关注度都有明显提升，视角5仍然没有关注。专硕学位论文研究视角随时间的变化规律和我国研究生教育结构的调整规律高度相关。

III. Summary and Recommendations

三、小结与建议

(1) Analysis and Summary

（一）分析与总结

From the above data analysis, the current research on the cult issue in graduate education mainly exhibits the following characteristics and trends:

从以上的数据分析来看，目前研究生培养中邪教问题研究主要呈现以下几个特点和趋势：

1. Beijing and Shanghai remain the centers for cultivating high-level talent in the field of cult studies

1. 北京市和上海市仍是培养邪教领域研究高层次人才的中心

Based on current statistics, 86 institutions are engaged in graduate training for research on the cult issue, with the number of training institutions showing a growth trend, but the main research strength is concentrated in a few institutions. Among the 86 institutions, the dissertations from the top 20 institutions account for about 60%. Geographically, Beijing and Shanghai alone account for 38%, making them still the centers for research on the cult issue. Between the two centers of Beijing and Shanghai, Beijing possesses far stronger research strength than Shanghai, with its number of dissertations far ahead, nearly three times that of Shanghai. Beijing not only has an absolute advantage in total quantity but also dominates the ranking of institutions with the highest number of dissertations. From a temporal perspective, compared to Shanghai, Beijing shows a trend of continuous growth and expansion.

基于目前的统计，有86个机构在开展邪教问题研究的研究生培养工作，培养机构的数量处于增长的趋势，但主要的研究力量聚集在少数的机构上。在86个机构中，排名前20的机构的学位论文数量约占60%。从地域层面，北京和上海就占据了38%，北京和上海仍然是邪教问题研究的中心。在北京和上海两个中心中，北京相较于上海拥有强大得多的研究力量，其学位论文数量遥遥领先，将近上海的3倍。北京不仅在总量上占绝对优势，在学位论文数量最多的机构排名上，都占据主导优势。从时间的发展来看，相较于上海，北京呈现不断发展壮大的趋势。

2. People’s Public Security University of China is gradually becoming the most important training institution for research on the cult issue

2.中国人民公安大学逐渐成为邪教问题研究最主要的培养机构

Based on current statistics, Renmin University of China was the earliest institution to pay attention to this issue and had a certain scale of research, but over time the research team gradually shrank, eventually producing zero dissertations after 2013. Shandong University was the main training institution between 2001 and 2014, but with the turnover of research team personnel, it no longer appeared in the 2015–2020 period. People’s Public Security University of China only emerged in 2017, and its proportion of dissertations increased significantly, ranking first among institutions in this period. In terms of temporal development trends, compared with Renmin University of China and Shandong University, People’s Public Security University of China shows a continuously rising momentum.

基于目前的统计，中国人民大学是最早关注且有一定研究规模的机构，但随着时间的推移研究团队在渐渐萎缩，最终在2013年之后学位论文为零；山东大学曾在2001－2014年间成为主要的培养机构，但随着研究团队人员的流动，在2015－2020年这个时段也不再出现。而中国人民公安大学在2017年才崭露头角，其学位论文比例大幅提升，在这个时段内机构排名跃升为第一，从时间的发展趋势来看，相较于中国人民大学和山东大学，中国人民公安大学呈现出不断上升的势头。

3. The discipline of law is gradually becoming the dominant discipline for research on the cult issue in graduate education

3.法学专业逐渐成为研究生培养中邪教问题研究的主导专业

The academic disciplines that conduct research on the cult issue mainly include: philosophy, law, history, management, literature, and education, with law and history being the most important disciplines. In terms of disciplinary configuration, the proportion of disciplinary configurations in Beijing and Shanghai is higher than the national average. Looking at the attention paid to the cult issue in doctoral, academic master’s, and professional master’s dissertations, the proportion of dissertations in the law discipline is steadily rising, increasingly showing a trend in which the law discipline dominates research on the cult issue.

开展邪教问题研究的学科门类主要有：哲学、法学、历史学、管理学、文学和教育学，尤其是法学和历史学是研究邪教问题的最主要专业。从专业设置来看，北京和上海的专业设置比例要高于全国平均水平。从博士、学硕、专硕学位论文对邪教问题的关注度来看，法学专业的学位论文比例不断攀升，在学科专业上日益呈现出由法学专业主导邪教问题研究的趋势。

4. The mentor–student lineage in the field of cult research is overly simple

4.邪教领域研究的师承关系过于简单

Statistical data show that the mentor–student lineage in the field of cult research is mainly two generations; such a lineage is overly simple and is not conducive to the in-depth development of research on the cult issue. The mentor–student lineage is a booster for disseminating scientific knowledge, transmitting academic thought, optimizing disciplinary education, and promoting disciplinary innovation, and it is an important driving force for the formation and development of academic schools. A simple mentor–student lineage makes it difficult to form a particular school, and the development of the discipline is hard to sustain. A discipline can gradually build a complete disciplinary system and generate a certain academic influence only if it possesses continuity, inheritance, and innovation. Therefore, to promote the institutionalization, systematization, and disciplinarization of this research field and to continuously achieve disciplinary innovation, it is necessary to have senior scholars with both knowledge and experience who train numerous graduate students, and some of the outstanding graduate students in turn train another group of graduate students, passing it down from generation to generation, so as to form a stable research team.

统计数据显示，邪教领域研究的师承关系以两代为主，这样的师承关系过于简单，不利于邪教问题研究的深入发展。师承关系是传播科学知识、传承学术思想、优化学科教育、促进学科创新的助推器，是学派生成和发展的重要推动力。师承关系简单则难成某一学派，学科的发展很难延续。一门学科，只有具备延续性、继承性、创新性，才能逐渐构建起完整的学科体系，并产生一定的学术影响力。因此，要推动这一研究领域的建制化、体系化与学科化，不断取得学科创新，需要有学识与经验并重的资深学者培养众多研究生，部分优秀的研究生又培养一批研究生，代代相传，才能形成稳定的研究队伍。

(II) Reflections and Suggestions

（二）思考与建议

Countering cults requires high-level talent, and graduate education is the main pathway for cultivating high-level talent. To promote research on the cult issue in graduate education in the New Era, efforts must be made in the following areas.

反邪教需要高层次人才，而研究生教育是培养高层次人才的主要途径。推动新时代研究生培养中的邪教问题研究，需从以下几方面进行努力。

1. Attach great importance to research on the cult issue

1.高度重视邪教问题研究

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Religious work is a matter of overall and strategic importance concerning the future and destiny of the Party’s governance.” Cults often appear in the guise of religion, putting on a legal cloak to deceive the masses and evade legal sanctions. Strengthening research on the cult issue in the process of graduate education helps university faculty and students recognize the nature and harm of cults as “anti-science, anti-humanity, anti-society, and anti-government,” enhances awareness of countering cults, and improves the ability to identify, prevent, and resist cults, thereby staying away from them. Further intensifying research on the cult issue is not only a requirement for improving the capacity to govern cults and promoting social harmony and stability, but also a requirement for advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. The state can establish special projects, relying on universities and research institutes, to conduct small-scale graduate training, with fixed quotas each year for recruiting graduate students in this area, without occupying existing quotas; after graduation, these students must go to work in units corresponding to their specialties. In the training process, international research perspectives and methods should be used to study China’s unique phenomena in the field of cults, and academic exchanges should be conducted with the international community, thereby promoting international academia’s understanding of China’s cult issue.

习近平总书记指出，“宗教工作是一项关系党的执政前途和命运的全局性和战略性工作。”而邪教往往都是以宗教的面目出现，给自己披上一件合法的外衣，以欺骗群众，逃脱法律制裁。加强研究生培养过程中对邪教问题的研究，有助于高校师生认清邪教“反科学、反人类、反社会、反政府”的本质和危害，增强反邪教意识，提高识别、防范和抵御邪教的能力，从而远离邪教。进一步加大邪教问题研究力度，不仅是提升邪教治理能力、促进社会和谐稳定的要求，也是推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的要求。国家可以通过设立专项，以高校和科研院所为依托，进行小规模的研究生培养，每年有固定的指标招收这方面的研究生，而且不占用已有的指标，这些学生毕业后要到专业对口的单位去工作。在培养过程中，以国际通用的研究视角和方法研究中国在邪教领域的独有现象，同国际社会展开学术交流，以此来促进国际学术界对中国邪教问题的了解。

2. Continuously strengthen the research force on the cult issue

2.不断增强邪教问题研究力量

On the one hand, the construction of the mentor team must be strengthened. Mentors are the first responsible persons in graduate training, bearing the lofty mission of cultivating high-level innovative talent. To strengthen research on the cult issue, it is first necessary to build a high-level, high-quality mentor team, especially to cultivate professional talent in the study of the cult issue. Only when mentors have a certain professional ability and level can they better guide graduate students in conducting research on the cult issue. On the other hand, at the national level, sufficient policy and funding support should be given to universities and research institutes involved in this field to ensure the sustainable construction of the research team in this field. Universities and research institutes should provide a favorable scientific research environment conducive to research on the cult issue, offering platforms for exchange and cooperation for these research teams, such as organizing and participating in international academic conferences, organizing and editing book series, and founding academic journals, so as to continuously strengthen the research force on the cult issue.

一方面，要加强导师队伍建设。导师是研究生培养的第一责任人，肩负着培养高层次创新人才的崇高使命。加强邪教问题研究，首先要打造一支高水平高素质的导师队伍，尤其是要培养邪教问题研究方面的专业人才。只有导师有了一定的专业能力和水平，才能更好地引导研究生开展邪教问题研究。另一方面，从国家层面对涉及这一领域的高校和科研院所给予足够的政策和基金上的支持，保证这一领域研究队伍的可持续性建设。高校和科研院所要提供有利于邪教问题研究的良好科研环境，给这些研究队伍提供交流和合作的平台，比如组织和参加国际学术会议、组织编辑丛书、创办学术刊物等，不断增强邪教问题研究的力量。

3. Strengthen disciplinary construction and interdisciplinary integration

3.加强学科建设和学科交叉融合

The causes of the breeding and spread of cults are complex: economic factors, cultural factors, and social factors are intertwined, and subjective factors and objective factors are intertwined, influencing and interacting with each other. Governing cults is a systematic project that cannot be completed by a single department alone; it requires multi-party coordination, joint efforts, and a multi-pronged approach. Researching the cult issue also requires establishing a collaborative network and strengthening disciplinary construction and interdisciplinary integration. This is because research work in the field of cults involves multi-faceted professional knowledge and requires the cooperation of multi-faceted professional talent. Currently, the disciplines engaged in this research are relatively scattered; this situation has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the participation of different disciplines expands the field of cult research, but on the other hand, interdisciplinary integration has not yet formed, and a core research area that is both commonly concerned and comprehensive has not yet emerged. Therefore, through top-level design, a collaborative network of different research institutions and multiple disciplines should be constructed. For graduate training, relatively stable and unified basic courses should be offered in different disciplines, and some common courses that have both disciplinary characteristics and a common foundation should also be set up, forming a scientific, complete, and reasonable educational training system to serve disciplinary construction and interdisciplinary integration between different disciplines.

邪教滋生和蔓延的原因是复杂的，经济因素、文化因素、社会因素交织在一起，主观因素、客观因素交织在一起，相互影响、相互作用。治理邪教是一项系统工程，不是单个部门独立就能完成的，需要多方统筹、协同发力、多管齐下。研究邪教问题同样需要建立协作网，加强学科建设和学科交叉融合。这是因为，邪教领域的研究工作涉及多方面的专业知识，需要多方面的专业人才通力合作。目前从事这方面研究的学科比较分散，这种情况有利有弊，一方面，不同学科的参与扩大了邪教研究领域，但另一方面却没有形成学科交叉融合，尚未形成一个既有共同关注又综合全面的核心研究领域。因此，要通过顶层设计，构建一个不同科研机构、多学科的协作网，针对研究生的培养，在不同的学科要开设相对稳定统一的基础课程，还要设置一些既有学科特色又有共同基础的共同课程，形成科学完善合理的教育培养体系，服务于学科建设和不同学科之间交叉融合。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心