Worldwide Gàidhealtachd history from the 17th century from indigenous perspectives, with emphasis upon how documentary and folklore evidence might be synthesised.

Popular culture such as charms, keening, witchcraft, second sight, in their European context.

Collecting, editing, archiving, and publishing of folklore, particularly James Macpherson (1736–96) and Ossian; John Francis Campbell (1821–85) and Popular Tales of the West Highlands; Alexander Carmichael (1832– 1912) and Carmina Gadelica; also problems and errors in folklore recording.

Travellers’ accounts of the Gàidhealtachd, particularly Martin Martin (c. 1665–1718) and Thomas Pennant (1726–98), and the cultural brokers who informed them.

The Scottish Gaelic Enlightenment of the late eighteenth century, investigating the efforts of amateur lexicographers, antiquarians, and historians to create exemplars for an ‘improved’ Scottish Gaelic language and a modern British imperial Gaelic identity.

1985–89: Magdalen College, Oxford: Litteræ Humaniores (Classical Greats).

1989–97: School of Scottish Studies and Department of Celtic, University of Edinburgh: PhD (‘An Gàidheal, a’ Ghàidhlig, agus a’ Ghàidhealtachd san t-seachdamh linn deug’ / ‘Gael, Gaelic, and Gàidhealtachd in the seventeenth century’). Supervisors: Professor William Gillies and Dr John MacInnes.