Darren S. Layne

Darren S. Layne

@funkyplaid.bsky.social

Historian of 18th-century Scotland focused on Jacobite Studies and Digital History. Curator of JDB1745. Chair, Jacobite Studies Trust. PhD via University of St Andrews. In love with a swan and two cats. Currently watching the leaves in Portland, OR.

3.4K followers1.6K following627 posts

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Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

First post on Bluesky as a brief intro: Hi folks, I'm Darren, an historian in the PNW interested in 18thC British & Vast Early American history, with a focus on Jacobite studies and the social and cultural identity of plebeian Scots during the Jacobite era. Looking forward to connecting with you!

Darren S. Layne reposted

American Historical Association
@historians.org

Do you need to know what you think before you start writing? Not necessarily, argues historian Lynn Hunt. In a 2010 #AHAPerspectives essay, Hunt explores how the act of writing itself generates new ideas and why getting words on the page is essential to the thinking process.

historians.orgHow Writing Leads to Thinking (and Not the Other Way Around) – AHAWriting is stressful. Sitting in my computer chair my neck and shoulder muscles almost immediately tense up as I dig around in my brain for the best phrase or even any coherent string of words.
Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

I had some fun creating a branded link shortener for citations in both my digital and physical publications. I expect this will make it way easier on readers to access URLs and additional content, including interactive data and visualisations. I'm using Rebrandly, but there are plenty of options.

Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

My dear friend Gillian wrote an excellent history book and I encourage you to give it a read when you have the time. It's free to access!

Dr Gillian Jack@drgillhistory.bsky.social

The book is Open Access, so if you'd like to read it you can do so for free.

Darren S. Layne reposted

Aaron Rupar
@atrupar.com

it's a bit concerning that instead of responding to obvious political incentives and moderating on some of their worst and most unpopular policies, the Trump administration is getting more and more extreme

Darren S. Layne reposted

Cats of Yore
@catsofyore.bsky.social

I love fall so much. I've lived in Vermont my whole life and foliage season still seems like such a completely bonkers and beautiful thing to happen every year. It never gets old. 🍂

Darren S. Layne reposted

Ron Filipkowski
@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social

We are paying CNN and MS NOW to run ads for Donald Trump right before the midterms. You and I are paying for them. And CNN and MS NOW are taking the cash while their hosts and guests say the scheme is illegal. That is the current state of corporate media in America.

Darren S. Layne reposted

derek guy
@dieworkwear.bsky.social

Tweed is such a beautiful fabric to wear this time of year because it produces, in Dolly Parton's phrasing, a coat of many colors. Even a solid-colored brown is not just brown, but bits of red, blue, and yellow to produce something that looks lifted off the Scottish landscape.

Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

I’m heartbroken that future generations won’t get to have the same opportunities as the ones in which I was fortunate enough to participate.

Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco@joshpizpom.bsky.social

EXC: 90 programmes in Edinburgh University's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are to be closed. The casualties, which include 48 language and literature programmes, will be 'taught out', w/ no admissions after 2027. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2655839...

heraldscotland.comNinety programmes to close at leading university as savings plan takes shapeAccording to the document, a total of 90 programmes will be “taught out” over the next several years, including 48 in the School of Language.

Darren S. Layne reposted

Joseph Rezek
@rezekjoe.bsky.social

The forces assembling against the things we care about and the people we love seem strong and insurmountable but I believe they are not; I believe we are stronger.

Darren S. Layne reposted

Women's History Scotland
@womenshistscot.bsky.social

📢 We are delighted to announce that the speaker for our annual Sue Innes Memorial Lecture is historian of Scottish emigration, Professor Marjory Harper! 📅 Saturday 24 October 🕑 2.00–3.30pm 📍 AK Bell Library, Perth 🎟️ Reserve your place via Ticket Tailor: www.tickettailor.com/events/women...

tickettailor.comSelect tickets – Women's History Scotland Sue Innes Memorial Lecture with Marjory Harper – Soutar Theatre, AK Bell Library, York Place, PerthWomen's History Scotland Sue Innes Memorial Lecture with Marjory Harper – Soutar Theatre, AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth, Sat 24 Oct 2026 - Join Women's History Scotland for our annual Sue Innes M...
Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

We drove out to the Gorge for our local CSA's farm-to-table dinner and got to meet some local farmers and ranchers. Fantastic scenery and so much fecundity. And we listened carefully to what our hosts were telling us about the challenges they're facing from the federal government.

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Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

Yet the retail price of beef won’t change because of the high demand and tariffs, and the U.S. ranchers he claims to be saving are now in direct competition with foreign import markets. The whole thing is a ruse and yet millions of American farmers vote for these policies with vigor.

Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

We drove out to the Gorge for our local CSA's farm-to-table dinner and got to meet some local farmers and ranchers. Fantastic scenery and so much fecundity. And we listened carefully to what our hosts were telling us about the challenges they're facing from the federal government.

Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

The wars he’s started have directly inflated costs and the solution he’s promised involves importing foreign beef to ‘drive down’ prices. It’s a lose-lose for everyone except the national chains, designed to falsely appease consumers.

Darren S. Layne
@funkyplaid.bsky.social

BRING IT

Christopher W. Jones@cwjones.bsky.social

An exemplary policy at UChicago: - Technology ban in class. - Total AI ban. Students may not use it, instructors may not assign it. Exceptions to the latter for narrow purposes must be approved at the administrator level. - Instructors may not use AI for grading. chicagomaroon.com/53262/news/s...

chicagomaroon.comSosc Core to Institute AI Ban, Technology-Free Classrooms This FallAll social science Core classes will transition to an “analog” approach for the upcoming academic year, restricting in-classroom technology use and banning AI-assisted writing and grading for students...

Darren S. Layne reposted

Sonja Drimmer
@sonjadrimmer.bsky.social

This is what I’m talking about! Our institutions should be doing the work for us and not leaving us to jury rig together the collapsing infrastructure around us. More of this. chicagomaroon.com/53262/news/s...

chicagomaroon.comSosc Core to Institute AI Ban, Technology-Free Classrooms This FallAll social science Core classes will transition to an “analog” approach for the upcoming academic year, restricting in-classroom technology use and banning AI-assisted writing and grading for students...
Sonja Drimmer@sonjadrimmer.bsky.social

sonjadrimmer.com/blog-1/2026/...

sonjadrimmer.comYou Do Not Need an AI Policy — Sonja DrimmerYou do not need an AI policy. Forget the crisis in plagiarism and cheating; that’s yesterday’s news. It is becoming increasingly common for my colleagues, both within my own university and elsewhere,...