Stephan Pennington

Stephan Pennington is an Associate Professor of Music at Tufts University's Department of Music, with affiliations in Africana Studies, American Studies, Film Studies, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. His research examines popular music, jazz, and the performance of identity through race, class, gender, and sexuality lenses.

He holds a Ph.D. from UCLA (2010) and teaches courses including History of African-American Music, Queer Pop, and The History of Rock'n'Roll. His scholarship focuses on African American musical traditions, transgender vocality, and cultural appropriation dynamics.

Publications analyze intersections of music with identity politics, including award-winning work on gospel music's role in Black trans/masculinities. Current research investigates historical and contemporary voice practices in transgender communities.