Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

This course considers Gaelic identity from the Middle Ages to the present through the prism of identity theory. It explores themes such as language, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and sustainability through the study of various linguistic, literary, onomastic, historical and archaeological sources. The course focusses on Gaelic-speakers in Scotland but includes comparison and contrast with parts of the Scottish Gaelic diaspora, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

12x 1hr seminars and 8x 1hr lectures over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in Gaelic and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Celtic & Gaelic, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

GAELIC4049

HIST4248

None

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Oral assessment (presentation; 10 minutes) - 40%

■ Essay (1,500 words) - 60%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ Video presentation OR one-to-one presentation with staff member as alternative to the oral presentation.

■ There is no alternative to the written assessment, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ Provide students with the knowledge and skills to analyse expressions of Gaelic identity from the Middle Ages to the present through the prism of identity theory and across a range of sources within the context of lively contemporary debate on this topic; and due to the demand for graduates with the skills to analyse such material.

■ Enable students to present analysis and justify stances in relation to pressing challenges such as: societally-based Gaelic revitalisation; loss of local cultural heritage, including ways of being and perspectives; and social and environmental issues in the Highlands and Islands such as depopulation, housing and employment.

■ Provide students with an opportunity to study the culture of Gaelic-speakers across a wide chronological span and reflect critically on a range of primary source material relating to this culture, including literary, archaeological, art historical and documentary, in alignment with the aims and ILOs of the Celtic Studies and Celtic Civilisation degree programmes; and provide students with an opportunity to explore linguistic and cultural aspects of Gaelic, in alignment with the aims and ILOs of the MA Gaelic programme.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Analyse expressions of Gaelic identity in primary sources

2. Evaluate the hybridity of Gaelic identity