Katherine Blouin

Katherine Blouin is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, cross-appointed in the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies (UTSC) and Classics (UTSG). She holds affiliations with the graduate departments of History and Religion, the Archaeology Center, and the Center for Jewish Studies. Her work bridges Classics, Papyrology, and Egyptology.

• Fields: Archaeology, Environmental History, Postcolonial Theory, Roman Egypt
• Education: PhDs in Roman History from Université Laval (Québec) and Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis (France), Postdoctoral Diploma in Greek Papyrology from École Pratique des Hautes Études

Blouin investigates the socio-economic and environmental history of the Roman Empire, with a focus on Egypt. She critiques the colonial and Orientalist legacies in Antiquity-related fields, analyzing how imperialism shapes scholarly narratives of Alexandria and the Nile Delta. Her research connects ancient practices—like balaneutikon (bath taxation) and prosgénêmata (alluvial land management)—to modern issues of cultural identity and historiography.

Her publications include the co-edited Routledge Handbook of Classics, Colonialism, and Postcolonial Theory (2025) and Triangular Landscapes: Environment, Society, and the State in the Nile Delta under Roman Rule (2014). She co-founded the Everyday Orientalism platform and led the 2017 Imperial Landscapes conference, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to ancient and modern colonial dynamics.