Two nice bits of news this week. First, the manuscript for my textbook on early modern Scotland has been submitted to the publisher. And second, I've had another article accepted. 'Petitioning the Justiciary Court in Restoration Scotland' should be out with PER later this year.🍾🍾

Only just got my hands on this (first day back in the office after summer leave), but delighted to see my essay on the Highlands and 17th-century state-formation published in Julian Goodare's festschrift - especially because it's in the company of so many other top-notch scholars!

Pleased to have had a new article accepted for publication! 🍾🍾 Subject to some revisions, 'Petitioning the Justiciary Court in Restoration Scotland' should appear in 'Parliaments, Estates and Representation' within the next few months.

Very lovely that @edinburghup.bsky.social still send you physical copies of the relevant journal issue when you publish an article. So nice to see my new piece in a format other than digital!

Delighted to see my latest article on 'Prosecuting Rape in Seventeenth-Century Scotland' published in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies. Not the easiest topic to read or write about, but hopefully of some value nonetheless. euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/...

I'll be in Montrose on Monday evening discussing 'Meet the Buchanans', a new documentary about the inauguration of a new chief for Clan Buchanan. Come along to hear my reflections on Highland History and its relationship to the modern world! tickets.montroseplayhouse.co.uk/movie/meet-t...

Heading up to Aberdeen today to talk to the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies. Looking forward to discussing 'Petitioning the Justiciary Court in Restoration Scotland' - and also looking forward to my first visit to the Granite City in absolute ages!

🚨 FIRST DRAFT EXISTS! 🚨 A long process of revision and reworking lies ahead, but still, great to have a full draft of my upcoming textbook on early modern Scotland finally complete!

My textbook, 'Early Modern Scotland: Themes in Focus', is coming along nicely. It's designed as an introduction to early modern Scotland built around key themes. I'm curious, though, if there are any obvious topics I've left out? If anybody thinks so, let me know now, before it's too late!

Delighted to have written a wee blog for @edinburghup.bsky.social to mark the publication of my new book, 'Serious Crime in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland'. Have a read to learn about some of periods most sensational criminal trials! euppublishingblog.com/2025/03/20/e...

Some of the details revealed in this hearing are genuinely jaw-dropping. Just an extraordinary few hours of testimony about the situation at the University of Dundee. www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/educ...

After this morning's Holyrood evidence session, can we now definitively bin the 'you need to pay huge salaries to get the best people' narrative?

Such a terrible and difficult situation for staff, especially my professional services colleagues who are being lined up to absorb the bulk of the cuts. That things can have got this bad, this quickly is completely incomprehensible. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Extraordinary. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

So, so devastated to see History Scotland magazine come to an end with the Spring 2025 issue. It has been a pleasure to work on the magazine over the past 10 years, and its loss is a big blow to those working on, or interested in, Scottish History.

Delighted to have had another journal article accepted for submission, my first one in a couple of years! 'Prosecuting Rape in Seventeenth-Century Scotland' should hopefully be out in the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies later this year! 🍾 🍾

It exists!! 🍾 🍾

Had a lovely time speaking to the History Hit 'After Dark' podcast about the Massacre of Glencoe. Have a listen to part 1 here, setting the general scene. Part 2, zooming in on the massacre itself, coming soon! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

I *think* I've now settled on the final contents-list for my upcoming textbook, 'Early Modern Scotland: Themes in Focus'. Really enjoying writing it so far, and I hope the thematic synthesis it's intended to offer will be useful!

Apparently my book, 'Serious Crime in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland', is now available for pre-order! Use discount code NEW30 for 30% off! edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-serious...

Twins!

Another brief dip back into social media to say...it finally exists! Just received my editor copies of 'Deviance and Marginality in Early Modern Scotland', and it looks very handsome indeed! On sale next month. Very proud of this volume, and very grateful to all the contributors for their hard work!

Briefly dipping my toe back into social medial to re-up this Call for Contributions for a projected edited collection on 'Alcohol in Early Modern Scotland'. Get in touch if you've got some research you'd like to share!

I'm taking a break from all social media, which may become permanent. From now on, therefore, you can find me via my professional pages at the University of Dundee: www.dundee.ac.uk/people/allan...

After more than four years of work, the Scottish Privy Council Project online database is officially live! Providing a searchable edition of the Privy Council record for 1692-1708, it is a major milestone in Scottish historical scholarship. Check it out here: spcr.ac.uk

Spotted in the wild!

Recently filmed a little video outlining my research as part of the University of Dundee's 'Research @ Dundee' initiative. The result went live this week. Always a little cringey seeing yourself on screen, but still, I don't think the result is too bad... youtu.be/fVdvH8HDacg?...

👀👀

My FREE for webinar on 'Women and Serious Crime in Late-17th Century Scotland' is this Thursday. Learn about women as both perpetrators and victims of serious criminality c.1660-c.1700. A sneak preview of my upcoming book! r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/73DN-FQO/c...

FREE webinar in association with History Scotland magazine! Come join me on 29 August to hear about 'Women and Serious Crime in Late-Seventeenth Century Scotland'! r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/73DN-FQO/c...

And keep your eyes peeled for news of a special FREE event taking place at the end of this month...

Delighted to announce that the Scottish History Distance Learning MLitt programme at the University of Dundee is sponsoring the History Scotland webinar programme for 2024-5! Learn about upcoming events here: www.mymagazinesub.co.uk/history-scot...

Proofs now marked up and returned! Can't wait to see this come to life early next year!

Coming soon...

Calling all Scottish historians! History Scotland magazine is putting together its webinar programme for 2024-5. If you would be interested in giving a webinar based on your research, please get in touch with me. Proposals from ECRs especially welcome. Payment offered!

Pleased as punch to have been nominated for a Student Led Teaching Award! I'm always a little uncertain about my abilities as a teacher, so this kind of recognition from students is a wonderful boost!

🚨 Reader Report! 🚨 The verdict is in on the manuscript of my edited collection on 'Deviance and Marginality in Early Modern Scotland' and it's...very positive indeed! Some modest revisions needed here and there, but overall, it's a great big thumbs up! 🎉🥂

Nice wee jaunt to Glasgow today to speak to the Knightswood Local History Group about crime in the late 17th century. Always enjoy chatting to organisations like this - their genuine enthusiasm for all things historical really is brilliant!

Calling all Scottish historians! History Scotland magazine invites submissions for articles on any aspect of Scottish History. A great way to bring your research to the wider public! We're especially interested in medieval topics. More details here: www.historyscotland.com/history/hist...

Having been seized by a sudden mania for (re)reading Agatha Christie novels, I suspect I'll be spending much of my holiday time in the company of Poirot and Miss Marple. Oh well, there are worse ways to pass a fortnight!

Out of office is up, so I'm signing off for 2023. Quick recommendation before I go, though: just finished reading Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger's astonishing, spellbinding book about Maria Theresa. If you want a giant read to lose yourself in over the festive season, look no further!

Looking at the latest Scottish Government budget, can't help thinking that all academics in Scotland would be well-advised to start thinking about alternative careers, just in case...

It's the week before Christmas, the tank is very nearly empty, but I've got 30+ newly-submitted essays to mark. We soldier on...

Always smile wryly when peer-review invitations come with stern instructions about what to do and what the (inevitably tight) deadline is. Guys, I'm doing this for free on top of a 100%+ workload. If you get a vaguely coherent report in time for Doomsday, I'd count it as a win!

🚨 PROOFS! 🚨

Just submitted the manuscript of 'Deviance and Marginality in Early Modern Scotland' to the publisher. Celebrations all round! 🍾🥂 This is the third book I've submitted this year (two edited collections and a monograph) and I am officially knackered. Never bloody well doing that again!

Cheered to receive student feedback on this semester's teaching, which included comments about being 'a fantastic lecturer and teacher', making learning 'fun', and my module being 'actually perfect'! Grateful to the students - the chronic self-doubter in me really needs this kind of boost!

Loving the BBC's definition of 1617 as 'medieval'. Clearly I've been a practising medievaliat for more than a decade without even knowing it... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Still introducing myself on Bluesky, so thought I'd mention my recent Scottish History comic, based on new research into the Scottish High Court records. Hoping to make this the basis for a bigger impact and engagement project in the new year...complete with lots of new comics, of course!

Starting my time on Bluesky by noting with great excitement that a full draft of my edited collection, 'Deviance and Marginality in Early Modern Scotland', now exists! Just the proofing to do, then it's off to the publisher in time for Christmas!