El-Shamy taught as an assistant professor of sociology and anthropology for a year (1967–1968) at Morehead State University before becoming the director of the archives at the Folklore Center of the Ministry of Culture in Cairo, Egypt, a role that he held from 1967 to 1972.
He has held numerous roles at Indiana University, including service as the director of graduate studies for the folklore program.
[1] El-Shamy's research publications introduced a number of innovative approaches to the study of traditional cultures in general and Arabic communities in particular.
Among these are the concepts and research methodology of "Folkloric Behavior," and "The Brother-Sister Syndrome" in Arab family life and psychological practices.
Some of his research interests include religion, myth and ritual, narrative folk poetry, typology and classification, kinship and folklore, which he has analyzed through comparative, ethnographic and psychological approaches.