Song is an inequality scholar of family diversity, gender, and sexuality (LGBTQ+) in the global context. More broadly, his research unravels the nuanced role of family in the (re)production and reduction of social inequality and health disparity. He studies inequality at the intersections of multiple systems of privilege and oppression, including gender (sexism), sexuality (heteronormativity), race/ethnicity (racism and nativism), and class (classism).

Currently, Song focuses on the study of LGBTQ+ families and the multidimensional health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people. His U.S.-based dissertation explores the social organization of family life among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults and same-sex couples, covering assortative mating, the division of household labor, and mental health. Collaborating with junior faculty and students, he also documents understudied violence, isolation, and public opinion against sexual minorities.

Most of Song’s work applies quantitative methods to large-scale representative data in different socio-political contexts, such as the U.S. and China. His work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Demography, Journal of Marriage and Family, Social Science Research, and Population Research and Policy Review. He was invited to organize panel sessions for premier national conferences including the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the Population Association of America (PAA). His work is supported by the Early Career Fellowship Program from the Work and Family Research Network (WFRN) and the W. P. Jones Presidential Faculty Development Fund from Case Western Reserve University, among others (see updates).

At Case Western, Song is delighted to teach regularly on some of his favorite topics, including family, demography, and (advanced) social statistics (see teach).