My primary period of study covers the 19th and 20th centuries, with a geographical focus on the Celtic fringe, particularly Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. My research in this area bridges the disciplines of historical archaeology and ethnology, and also relates to wider issues in the area of heritage studies.

I am especially interested in rural vernacular architecture, and have written extensively on the development of traditional housing on the Isle of Lewis.

My forthcoming book examines landlord-tenant relations and the process of change in the traditional housing of the Isle of Lewis during the 19th and 20th centuries.

I retain an active research interest in the areas of Scottish Gaelic language and literature, and the social and cultural history of the Scottish Highlands. I have a long-standing interest in 19th century Scottish Gaelic orthography.

I also have a strong interest in minority language revitalisation, and am currently working on a project which looks at the revitalisation of Manx Gaelic from the 1980s.