Bernadette O'Rourke

Professor Bernadette O'Rourke holds a dual appointment in Sociolinguistics and Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow's School of Modern Languages and Cultures. Her work bridges sociolinguistics with the sociology of language, focusing on the political and social dimensions of language use, revitalization, and ideological frameworks.

• Specializes in minority languages (Galician, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Faroese)
• Examines new speakers' role in language revitalization
• Explores language activism and ethnographic resistance

Research trends show increasing focus on multilingual cities, digital methods (GPS, electronic recording), and sociopolitical movements in language preservation. Her 2024 publications analyze geospatial tools for language revitalization and poetic resistance in Galician communities.

Scientific Awards:

• Leverhulme Research Fellowship (2021-2022)
• Chair of EU COST Action IS1306 (2013-2017)
• AHRC Early-Career Fellowship (2012)
• Fellow of Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Grants include Royal Society Edinburgh funding for Gaelic-Irish language projects and Faroese labor market integration studies. Supervision covers 10 current PhD projects including Galician diaspora in London, Manx language revitalization, and Kabyle preservation.