In this extensive study of the changing role of Gaelic in modern Scotland – from the introduction of state education in 1872 up to the present day – Wilson McLeod looks at the policies of government and the work of activists and campaigners who have sought to maintain and promote Gaelic. In addition, he scrutinises the competing ideologies that have driven the decline, marginalisation and subsequent revitalisation of the language. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, at the boundary of history, law, language policy and sociolinguistics, the book draws upon a wide range of sources in both English and Gaelic to consider in detail the development of the language policy regime for Gaelic that was developed between 1975 and 1989. It examines the campaign for the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, its contents and implementation; and assesses the development and delivery of development and delivery of Gaelic education and media from the late 1980s to the present.

McLeod’s book is an excellent resource for researchers, practitioners, activists and policy-makers. -- John Martin Knipe, Limestone University * Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development *
It is a comprehensive volume and will serve as the go-to reference source for anyone working on Gaelic for decades to come. -- Claire Nance, Lancaster University * Journal of Sociolinguistics *
A genuine tour de force [...] an exceptionally accessible book [...] this will surely now be the ‘go to’ book, in terms of understanding Gaelic policies, movements and indeed the ideologies that help make sense of the current situation of the language, art and culture. -- Douglas Chalmers * Scottish Affairs *
A genuine tour de force [...] an exceptionally accessible book [...] this will surely now be the ‘go to’ book, in terms of understanding Gaelic policies, movements and indeed the ideologies that help make sense of the current situation of the language, art and culture. -- Douglas Chalmers * Scottish Affairs *
This is a magisterial analysis of the vicissitudes of Gaelic in historical and contemporary context. Hard hitting, but creatively constructive, the author details the structures and personalities which animate the linguistic revitalisation of Gaelic in comparative perspective. The interpretation is incisive, prescient and challenging, and concludes with a series of strategic initiatives to enhance the gains made to date. -- Colin H. WIlliams, Cardiff University

Wilson McLeod BA (Haverford), JD (Harvard), MSc, PhD (Edinburgh) is Lecturer in Celtic, University of Edinburgh. His research interests focus on language policy, legislation, rights, and planning in Scotland and elsewhere; and on the cultural politics of Irish and Scottish Gaelic literature from the late medieval period to the present day. He is the author of ,i>Divided Gaels: Gaelic Scotland and Gaelic Ireland, 1200- 1650 Oxford University Press (2004).