Marge Steiner

Born in 1952 in New York City and grew up in suburbam Long Island in a
conservative and materialistic family.  From almost the outset, I felt like an
"other," feeling disenfranchised in that family and also because of my
disability.  It is therefore not surprising that "the other" had an attraction
for me, and I gravitated to anthropology and also folklore.  This latter, in
which I got my Ph.d. was something that I also developed an interest in through
the folksong revival.  I got all three degrees from Indiana University--my B.a.
in 1975, my M.a. in 1977, and my ph.d. in 1988, although my freshman and
sophomore years were spent at Kirkland College, then the sister school to
Hamilton College, in Clinton, New York.  My dissertation was an ethnography of
singing of a border community in Norethern Ireland in which I wrote about how
both Catholics and Protestants in the community use singing as a means of
conflict management.  I hope to do more work on expressive culture and violent
conflict.  My current research is on patterns of linguistic and cultural
code-switching among traditional singers in New Brunswick, Canada, singers who
are bilingual and bi-cultural.
 
     when I'm not doing anthropology--research, trying to find a job, etc.;--I
am occasionally active in Diversity Theater, a troupe of disabled and
non-disabled actors who do material pertaining to disability issues.  I have
also served on the Bloomington Area Arts council, including one year as
secretary.  I polay guitar, tin whistle, and sing, which is what I love to do
most of all musically.  I swim, do yoga, enjoy good food, and, especially hugs
from good friends.

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