John Macdonald

Gallanan Buidhe Fodharais (The Yellow-haired Youths of Phoness)
The resilience, resourcefulness, and agency of Jacobite Gaels, 1746-1763: a social network analysis approach

Supervised by Dr Jim MacPherson, Dr Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart and Dr Mairi MacPherson

John’s research examines the social and economic circumstances of Jacobite Gaels from the aftermath of Culloden in 1746 to the end of the Seven Years’ War in 1763. Challenging traditional representations of the post-Culloden Highlands as a society characterised by defeat, despondency, and victimhood, the thesis explores the resilience, resourcefulness and agency of Jacobite Gaels during a period of profound change.

Using a historical network research framework alongside social network analysis, the project reconstructs the web of familial, social, economic, legal, and military connections that linked individuals across the Jacobite Gàidhealtachd. This research is complemented by Stories of Highlanders [https://www.storiesofhighlanders.com], a digital resource presenting interactive network visualisations and individual narratives emerging from the project.

By tracing these connections at local, national and international levels, the research explores how Jacobite Gaels navigated the consequences of the Forty-Five, maintained and developed networks of influence, and remained connected to wider Gaelic, British, European and imperial worlds. Particular attention is given to lesser-known individuals and to the experiences of women, whose contributions have often been obscured in predominantly military and political accounts of Jacobitism.