Carolyn Ramzy

Carolyn Ramzy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University, cross-appointed to the Institute of African Studies, the Institute for Comparative Studies in Literature, Art, and Culture, and the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (2014), an M.M. from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Musical Arts and Diploma of Ethnomusicology from the Eastman School of Music.

Her research focuses on Egyptian Coptic Christian music and its diasporic transformations, examining intersections of gender, religion, and digital technology. Key themes include: how Orthodox music shapes gendered religious identities; the role of virtual ethnography in decolonizing scholarship; and Coptic experiences of racialization in North America. Her work builds on her dissertation The Politics of (Dis)Engagement: Coptic Christian Revival and the Performative Politics of Song, which explored colonial and sectarian influences on Coptic musical practices.

Recent publications (2023-2024) highlight transnational Coptic musical activism, diasporic hybridity, and ethical sound curation. She teaches courses on ethnomusicology theory, music and religion, globalization of sound, and music in conflict contexts. Her Coptic Women Sing Too exhibit (2023) showcases underrepresented voices in Coptic music history.

Dr. Ramzy regularly presents at major conferences including the Society for Ethnomusicology and Middle East Studies Association. Her media engagement includes a 2025 CBC National segment on Arabic pop music globalization.