Catriona Ida Macleod
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Her flagship project, *Scottish Society, 1400‑1700* (2002), was a sweeping survey of rural communities during the early modern period. By examining parish registers, estate papers, and folk songs, Macleod mapped the spread of literacy, the rise of the middle class, and the growing influence of the Scottish Enlightenment. A second landmark study, *Commerce and Conflict* (2008), traced the economic networks that tied the Highlands to London, revealing how mercantile interests both aided and challenged the Crown. Through these works, she has highlighted the interplay between local agency and national policy.
Macleod’s scholarship is grounded in the idea that history should be read as a conversation between past and present. She employs a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, using demographic statistics to uncover trends while interpreting diaries, letters, and oral histories for nuance. Her most influential framework, the Community Lens, argues that micro‑level interactions - such as household economies, local guilds, and village customs - can explain macro‑level shifts. This perspective has encouraged scholars to move beyond elite narratives and investigate how everyday actors participated in the nation’s political and economic life.
Since 2002, Macleod has published nine monographs and over 50 peer‑reviewed articles in top journals such as The Scottish Historical Review, Journal of Modern History, and Cultural History. Her monographs, including *Families and Fortunes* (2010) and *Trade and Tensions* (2015), have become core texts in university courses. She also edited volumes that bring together diverse voices, notably *Voices of the Highlands* (2014) and *Scotland in Transition* (2019). Her editorial work has fostered collaboration across disciplines and increased visibility for emerging scholars.
On the teaching front, Macleod has taught a wide array of courses, from introductory medieval history to advanced seminars on social change. She is renowned for her engaging lecture style, which encourages critical debate and independent research. Macleod supervises over 20 doctoral students, many of whom now hold positions in universities across the UK and abroad. Her mentorship emphasizes rigorous methodology, creative inquiry, and ethical scholarship, ensuring that new historians are well‑prepared to contribute meaningfully to the field.
Beyond academia, Macleod has served on national heritage boards, including the Scottish History Society and the Royal Historical Society. She has chaired committees that review historical curricula and advocate for research funding. Macleod also works with community groups, leading public seminars and museum exhibits that bring Scottish history into everyday conversation. Her outreach efforts help demystify history, making it accessible to students, policy makers, and the general public.
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