Karen March

Biography:

Karen March is an associate professor in the department of sociology and anthropology at Carleton University. She teaches courses on family, aging and qualitative research methods at both the graduate and undergraduate level. She uses in-depth interviewing, participant observation and focus group methodologies in her own research, participates actively in the Canadian Qualitative Analysis Conference and has been on the executive board of the Canadian Sociology Association. As part of her administrative duties at Carleton, she has held the positions of Associate Dean of Student Affairs for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Carleton University, and Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs for the Faculty of Graduate and Studies.

Dr. March has been working in the field of adoption research for over fifteen years and concentrates on issues of identity. Her book The Stranger Who Bore Me examines the search motivations of adopted adults and their perception of contact outcome. She conducted a Canadian-wide study of community attitudes toward adoption with Dr. Charlene Miall of McMaster University which resulted in publications in journals such as Adoption Quarterly, Journal of Family Relations and the Canadian Review of Sociology.