Publication is the constant work of the academic. Apart from the large research projects that produce books, the expectation is for the regular publication of articles in refereed reputable academic journals. Many of these are specialist and burdened with insider jargon, the precious discourse among a few specialists. Only a few are widely read and have much of a span of influence. While I have been fortunate to write about broad topics and have chosen to attempt to write in a somewhat more accessible style, I still believe that a great deal of academic writing, including some of my own, is of questionable value. I’ve been shocked that my own article publication has been significant after I no longer had to produce for my job. My current interests are in exploring more interesting and engaging styles and genres of writing and presenting ideas.
The following is an alphabetically ordered bibliography of my academic article publications. I’ve added links to PDFs where possible.
“The Academic Study of Religion” 1994 academic article PDF
“And He Took Away Their Wings: Story and History in American Folk Tradition” 1987 academic article PDF
“Approaches to the Study of Religion” 1999 essay on academic teaching PDF
“The Color of Navajo Ritual Symbolism: An Evaluation of Methods” 1976 academic article PDF
“The Continuity of Research and Classroom Teaching” article on teaching 1987 PDF
“Dance” 2003 encyclopedia article PDF
“Dancing Creative Healthy Teen Activity” article 2014 PDF
“Dancing Ritual, Ritual Dancing: Experiential Teaching” 2006 essay on teaching ritual PDF
“Disenchantment” 1976 academic article PDF
“Embodied Theology” 2002 academic article PDF
“Forward” to Native American Myths and Tales 2020 PDF
“Hopi Kachina Cult Initiation: The Shocking Beginning to the Hopi’s Religious Life” 1977 academic article PDF
“Its Where You Put Your Eyes” 1979 academic article PDF
“Jesus Wept, Robots Can’t: Religion Into the Future,” academic article 2020 PDF
“Jonathan Z. Smith and the Necessary Double-face” 2020 academic article PDF
«Jonathan Z. Smith, ou la duplicité nécessaire» academic article 2018
“Linking Human Beings to Nature: Australian Arrarnta Religion” 1996 academic article PDF
“Making Them Speak: Colonialism and the Study of Mythology” 1998 academic article PDF
“Mother Earth: An American Myth” 1990 academic article PDF
“Mother Earth Mythology” 1987 academic article PDF
“Moving: The Core of Religion,” academic article 2018 PDF
“North American Religions: Mythic Themes” 1987 encyclopedia article PDF
“Native Americans and their Religions” 1994, 2003, 2009 academic article PDF
“Native American Religions” 1993 encyclopedia article PDF
“Navajo Views of their Origin” 1983 encyclopedia article PDF
“No Place to Stand: Jonathan Z. Smith as homo ludens, the Academic Study of Religion sub specie ludi” 1998 academic article PDF
“North American Shamanism” encyclopedia entry 1987 PDF
“Nonliterate Traditions and Holy Book: Toward a New Model” 1985 academic article PDF
“North American Shamanism” 1987 dictionary entry PDF
“One, Two, Three: The Interpretation of Religious Action” 1987 academic article PDF
“Play” 2000 academic article PDF
“The Power of Story” 1988 academic essay PDF
“Prayer” 1987 encyclopedia article PDF
“Prayer as Performance: A Navajo Contribution to the Study of Prayer” 1987 academic article PDF
“Prayer as Person: Navajo Conceptions of Prayer Acts” 1977 academic article PDF
“The Prayer of the Navajo Carved Figurine” 1974 academic article PDF
“Religion in America in 1492” 1992 academic article PDF
“The Religions of Traditional Peoples” 1995 encyclopedia article PDF
“Religious Forms and Themes” 1992 academic article PDF
“A Rumor is Afield: Fieldwork Leads to Spreading Rumors” 1988 academic article PDF
“The Shadow of a Vision Yonder” 1976 academic article PDF
“Territory” 1998 academic article PDF
“Time” 1981 dictionary entry PDF
“The Trees Stood Deep Rooted” 1977 academic article PDF
“Walking with Spirits” 1991 travel article PDF
“‘What the One Thing Shows Me in the Case of Two Things’: Comparison as Essential to a Proper Academic Study of Religion” 2021 academic article PDF
“Whirling Logs and Colored Sands” 1979 academic article PDF
Review Articles
“Native American Religions: A Review Essay.” Religious Studies Review 5, 4 (October 1979): 251‑258
“A Review of Karl W. Luckert’s Works on Native American Religions.” History of Religions 20:3 (1981): 263‑268
Earth Fire: A Hopi Legend of the Sunset Crater Eruption, by Ekkehart Malotti with Michael Lomatuway’ma.” Journal of the Southwest vol 30, no. 3 (August 1988):454‑458
Book reviews have appeared in Parabola, Journal of American Anthropology, American Historical Review, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Religious Studies Review, Journal of the Social Scientific Study of Religion, Journal of Ritual Studies, New York Times Book Review, Anthropos among others
Subject of Articles
Hugh B. Urban, “Scholartracking: The Ethics and Politics of Studying ‘Others’ in the Work of Sam D. Gill.” Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 13 (2001): 110-136
Janine Gastineau, “Sam Gill: Bringing the World to Boulder,” The Arts Paper, vol. 3, no. 2, April/May, 2002, pp. 16 – 17