Scott Richard Lyons

Scott Richard Lyons is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He specializes in Native American literature and culture, with affiliations to the Kateri Institute for Catholic Studies and the Academic Freedom Alliance. His research integrates global perspectives with Indigenous studies, emphasizing transnational dimensions of Native American literary production.

Lyons holds a PhD from Miami University (2000), MA from University of North Dakota (1993), and BA from Concordia College (1991). His academic honors include the Henry Russel Award (University of Michigan’s highest midcareer award) and the Beatrice Medicine Award for distinguished scholarship. He also received a journalism award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for his work in Indian Country Today.

His research interests span Native American literature, Catholic literature, and René Girard’s mimetic theory. Notable works include X-Marks: Native Signatures of Assent (2010) and The World, the Text, and the Indian (2017), which reframe Indigenous narratives within global contexts. Lyons advocates for academic freedom and serves as a Faculty Fellow for the Inklings Project at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute (2024–25).

Lyons’ academic service includes directing Native American studies programs and founding the Kateri Institute for Catholic Studies. His personal background as a member of the Mississippi Ojibwe and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes influences his scholarship and pedagogy. He is also an avid motorcyclist and family man.