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Claire-Marie Alexander

Claire-Marie Alexander is originally from London, England. She graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2004, with an honours degree in Cultural Anthropology. Her research focus was on the role music plays in constructing a national identity, with a focus on Chopin and the Polish Diaspora. Alexander has taught Suzuki method violin with the Australian Institute of Suzuki Music, and plays a number of instruments including the piano and bagpipes.

Alexander undertook fieldwork in Rural Australia in 2004, where she worked as a part of an anthropology consultancy team. The team presented a program evaluation and recommendations to the Combined Universities Center for Rural Health based on their findings (the program being evaluated was aimed at getting recently graduated medical doctors to work in rural Australia).

Having studied Ju Jitsu and Ken Jutsu for a number of years at Jan de Jong Martial Arts and Fitness, Alexander has an interest in many of the various aspects of these arts. Her current academic interests are in music and national identity as well as ritual in Japanese art forms, especially the martial arts. She looks forward to securing an internship with a sword maker in Japan.