The Historical Journal

@historicaljnl.bsky.social

The Historical Journal publishes papers on all aspects of British, European, and world history since the fifteenth century.

This is a brilliant piece by @kabcommons.bsky.social and, I think, will be of interest to anyone working in the study of migration in history.

The Historical Journal@historicaljnl.bsky.social · 3w ago

📘From our latest issue! Kathleen Commons @kabcommons.bsky.social @sheffielduni.bsky.social on 'Discovering ‘Immigration Control’ in England, c. 1540 – c. 1640' #Migration #History #EarlyModern #England #Immigration 📜 16thc 17thc 👉Read open access here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Migration history is a growing field – yet the legal status of migrants in early modern England has not yet been investigated in detail. Reconstructing the legal system that governed migrants in early modern England does not just add significant depth and nuance to histories of migration and migrants, but also provides fresh insight into the status of English subjects. Furthermore, it enables historians to trace longer histories of the exclusion of migrants from rights in England and Britain. This article reconstructs the common law governance of migrants between c. 1540 and c. 1640, showing how common law principles and practices excluded migrants from the rights-bearing status of English subjects. Rather than being governed by the law, migrants were substantively governed under prerogative, a form of governance repeatedly resisted by English subjects. Although some migrants could access (unstable) liberties granted under prerogative, for the most part migrants were also subject to discriminatory local byelaws and licences and commissions granted by the crown for their exploitation. The repeated ‘molestation’ of migrants by informers for working contrary to statute, and petitions against this harassment from migrants suggest this early modern system of immigration control was relatively well understood by both subjects and migrants.

This is a thoughtful and incredibly useful synthesis of the growing historiography on motherhood - a brilliant addition to any reading list on modern British history!

The Historical Journal@historicaljnl.bsky.social · 2mo ago

📣Out now on #firstview! Anna Muggeridge @worcesteruni.bsky.social and Ruth Davidson @ruthdav.bsky.social on 'Revisiting the Politics of Motherhood in Modern British History' #Motherhood #Political #Maternal #History #Identity 20thc 🗃️👩‍🍼 👉Read open access here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

This article argues for the importance of motherhood as a category of historical analysis. This review will explore trends in the historiography of motherhood in modern Britain, first examining maternalist literature, then the turn towards maternity policy, examinations of motherhood and activism, and finally the recent turn towards experiential histories of motherhood. It suggests that these approaches have grown more expansive, but often remain disconnected. The article argues that motherhood is not a fixed identity; it has been defined, challenged, and performed in response to specific historical moments. In drawing these together, the article offers new ways to understand the histories of motherhood and mothering, and opens up potential avenues for future exploration.

Really pleased that my co-authored article with @ruthdav.bsky.social has just been published. We review the vast historiography of motherhood in modern Britain, and argue for the importance of motherhood (broadly defined) as a category of historical analysis: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Revisiting the Politics of Motherhood in Modern British History | The Historical Journal | Cambridge Core

Revisiting the Politics of Motherhood in Modern British History

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