  The impact of non-thermal processes on the spectral energy distributions of
galaxies can be dramatic, but such processes are often neglected in
considerations of their structure and evolution. Particle acceleration
associated with high mass star formation and AGN activity not only leads to
very broad band (radio-\gamma-ray) emission, but may also produce very
significant feedback effects on galaxies and their environment. The recent
detections of starburst galaxies at GeV and TeV energies suggest that
\gamma-ray instruments have now reached the critical level of sensitivity to
probe the connection between particle acceleration and star-formation in
galaxies. In this paper we will try to summarise this recent progress, put it
into a multi-wavelength context and also discuss the prospects for more precise
and sensitive \gamma-ray measurements with the upcoming CTA observatory.
