Zhifang Song

Zhifang Song is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Canterbury, specifically within the Sociology, Anthropology and Human Services department of the Faculty of Arts. He has held this position since June 2010 and is actively involved in teaching, research, and graduate supervision.

Dr. Song received his academic training with a BA from Hebei Normal University, an MA from Beijing Foreign Studies University, and a PhD from the University of Southern California. Prior to joining the University of Canterbury, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California and taught anthropology at both the University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach.

Dr. Song's research focuses on several interconnected areas within anthropology and sociology. His primary interests include kinship and family structures, particularly examining how these institutions transform under conditions of modernity and postmodernity. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in North China, studying changes in family and marriage practices, kinship relations, religious practices, and the dynamics between economic development and environmental factors in local communities. Additionally, he is deeply engaged in visual anthropology, conducting ethnographic research using visual methods, often in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach. His work also extends to examining Chinese diaspora communities, particularly in Vietnam, where he explores issues of identity formation, religious practice, and cultural negotiation.

Dr. Song's publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on Chinese societies, diaspora communities, and the intersection of tradition and modernity. His recent work has increasingly addressed issues of economic development, environmental concerns, and transnational connections. He has produced both written scholarship and visual ethnographic works, reflecting his methodological commitment to visual anthropology.

Dr. Song is actively involved in graduate supervision, having mentored numerous Master's and Doctoral students on diverse topics ranging from food security and gender studies to transnational migration and cultural heritage. His supervisory work reflects his broad academic interests and commitment to supporting emerging scholars in the field of anthropology and related disciplines.

Based in the Elsie Locke Building at the University of Canterbury, Dr. Song continues to contribute to the academic community through his teaching, research, and professional activities, maintaining strong connections with Chinese academic institutions and international research networks.