New perspectives in celtic studies: Where shall we go from now on?

Abstract

In the last twenty years, there have been large advances in Celtic Studies — be it in Linguistics, Comparative Literature, Media, History, Politics, or Archaeology. These were not only due to new theoretical approaches and further development of interdisciplinary debate, but above all to new discoveries and innovative methods of analysis. The models for a so-called ‘Celtic World’ or a ‘Celtic Society’ have been thoroughly questioned and scholars acknowledge the importance of different local and regional developments. Very few now accept that medieval societies in Ireland and the Celtic-speaking parts of Britain preserve unchanged examples of so-called ‘archaism’. Societies are understood to be dynamic and are viewed in their own terms. Large regional variability is evident, particularly in cross-comparative analyses of Irish and Welsh medieval laws, vernacular literature and archaeology. Drawing from such a debate, we propose that the terms ‘Celt’ and ‘Celtic’ are changing concepts. In our perspective, the area of ‘Celtic Studies’ is better defined by the notions of interconnectivity and mobility.