Celtic studies as a contemporary academic discipline is broad, extending from its origins in the linguistic study of the Celtic languages to encompass the study of the histories, literatures, and cultures of the speakers of Celtic languages and of regions where Celtic languages are or historically have been spoken as well as the material cultures and archaeologies of regions where Celtic languages are or historically have been spoken.
The field of Celtic studies emerges from multiple troubled histories of colonialism, nationalism, and race, from Ireland to South Asia and beyond, and these histories continue to shape both academic work within the field and popular interpretations of “Celtic culture(s)” outside academia. Particularly in recent decades, fascist and white supremacist groups have often taken up “Celtic” symbols and identities alongside appropriations and misrepresentations of the histories and cultures of Celtic-language communities in the service of far-right political objectives. Despite the close relationship between Celtic studies and the political struggles of the living, marginalized communities that speak Celtic languages, Celtic studies as a field has often avoided active engagement with contemporary politics and with darker elements of its own history. Carantes gathers academics and non-academics interested in a critical Celtic studies to study and strategize in order to challenge these histories and their contemporary manifestations. Here are some resources to get started:
CARANTES 