Emily Steinmetz

Emily Steinmetz is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Anthropology & Archaeology Department at Washington College. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University (2013), an M.A. from American University (2003), and a B.A. in English & Anthropology from the University of Rhode Island (year unspecified). Her research focuses on intersections of health, incarceration, and social justice, with particular attention to marginalized communities. She teaches courses on medical anthropology, prisons, gender studies, and applied anthropology.

Steinmetz’s work bridges medical anthropology, criminal justice studies, and technology’s role in social change. She investigates topics like cancer screening disparities in rural areas, carceral state symbolism, and VR tools to combat homelessness stereotypes. Her research emphasizes narrative analysis and participatory methods, such as photovoice projects and collaborative prison-based initiatives.

Her publications span over two decades, addressing themes like health equity, carceral systems, and radical imagination in transformative spaces. Notable projects include studies on colorectal cancer screening narratives and the sociolegal construction of criminality.