Dennis Kelley

Dennis Kelley is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Missouri's College of Arts and Science, affiliated with the Department of Classics, Archaeology, and Religion. He holds a PhD from UC-Santa Barbara with specialization in indigenous religious traditions, particularly Native North American belief systems.

His research examines the intersection of religion with culture, ethnicity, and identity, employing frameworks from myth/ritual theory. Publications focus on Native American spirituality's sociopolitical dimensions, including land-based practices and decolonial resistance. Teaching includes courses on Indigenous Religions, Myth/Symbolism, and Native American religious expressions.

Recent publications analyze cultural preservation, burial politics, and indigenous critiques of modernity through religious frameworks.