Madeline Steiner

Madeline Steiner is a Research Fellow and Instructor in the Department of History at the University of South Carolina's McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Her work focuses on the history of capitalism and popular culture in late 19th- and early 20th-century America. She contributes to the university’s Founding Documents initiative and teaches courses such as Hist 111 (U.S. History to 1865) and Hist 201 (America’s Founding Documents).

Education: PhD in History from the University of South Carolina; BAs in History and Musical Theatre Performance from American University.

Research interests include the development of the American entertainment industry through traveling amusements like circuses and minstrel shows, as detailed in her book project The Robber Barons of Show Business. Recent publications analyze cultural phenomena like 'Nightmare Alley' and the historical roots of modern media spectacles.

Publications highlight intersections between history, media, and popular culture, with works appearing in The Washington Post, The Conversation, and Journal of American Culture.