The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
@jich.bsky.social
A peer-reviewed Taylor & Francis academic journal exploring the British Empire, the Commonwealth, and wider colonialism.
EIC @andrekosvarnava.bsky.social
AE @yiannicart.bsky.social
BRE @evansmithhist.bsky.social
CDE @jonasgjerso.bsky.social
EIC @andrekosvarnava.bsky.social
AE @yiannicart.bsky.social
BRE @evansmithhist.bsky.social
CDE @jonasgjerso.bsky.social
Pinned
JICH will now award two annual prizes: The Stockwell-Burroughs Prize for Best Article; & the Murphy-Howe Prize for Best Postgrad Article.
Winners will be announced each Feb & receive £200 in book vouchers from @tandfresearch.bsky.social. Winning articles will become free access for 12 months.
Winners will be announced each Feb & receive £200 in book vouchers from @tandfresearch.bsky.social. Winning articles will become free access for 12 months.
Have a read of the recent article 'No Trace: ASIO and the End of the White Australia Policy' by Sean Brawley: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
No Trace: ASIO and the End of the White Australia Policy
This contribution to the special issue studies the history of the White Australia Policy through an exploration of the intersections between national security, immigration restriction and social re...
doi.org
February 2, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Have a read of the recent article 'No Trace: ASIO and the End of the White Australia Policy' by Sean Brawley: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Check out the recent article 'Laboratory of Empire: Calcutta, Opium, and the Wartime Invention of Regulation' by Benjamin R. Siegel: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Laboratory of Empire: Calcutta, Opium, and the Wartime Invention of Regulation
During the Second World War, Calcutta became a laboratory of imperial and international regulation. In the city’s police stations and opium shops, American narcotics agents and Indian officials imp...
doi.org
January 29, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Check out the recent article 'Laboratory of Empire: Calcutta, Opium, and the Wartime Invention of Regulation' by Benjamin R. Siegel: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
Fresh and #OpenAccess, check out 'Intra-Caribbean Diplomacy and Imperial Negotiation; Edward Trelawny, the Marquis de Larnage, and Anglo-French relations in the West Indies, 1720–1748' by Christos Giannatos: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Intra-Caribbean Diplomacy and Imperial Negotiation; Edward Trelawny, the Marquis de Larnage, and Anglo-French relations in the West Indies, 1720–1748
During the early modern period, concepts of power and authority were heavily contested between rival nations and nascent colonial empires. However, this negotiation was also present in the dealings...
doi.org
January 26, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Fresh and #OpenAccess, check out 'Intra-Caribbean Diplomacy and Imperial Negotiation; Edward Trelawny, the Marquis de Larnage, and Anglo-French relations in the West Indies, 1720–1748' by Christos Giannatos: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Have a read of Patrick Cacicedo's review of the book 'Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology', by Emma D. Watkins & Eleanor Bland (eds.) (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025): doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology, by
Published in The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History (Ahead of Print, 2026)
doi.org
January 25, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Have a read of Patrick Cacicedo's review of the book 'Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology', by Emma D. Watkins & Eleanor Bland (eds.) (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2025): doi.org/10.1080/0308...
See the recent article 'A Peaceful Place: Raising Imperial Children at China’s Moganshan Hill Station' by Hayley Keon: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
A Peaceful Place: Raising Imperial Children at China’s Moganshan Hill Station
Across the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, hill stations served as meaningful places of respite for imperial families, providing them with opportunities to escape the heat and political u...
doi.org
January 24, 2026 at 1:36 PM
See the recent article 'A Peaceful Place: Raising Imperial Children at China’s Moganshan Hill Station' by Hayley Keon: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Check out our call for Book Reviews for 2026. Please get in touch with @evansmithhist.bsky.social if you have a book in mind: networks.h-net.org/group/announ...
EOI: Book Reviews wanted for the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History | H-Net
Dr Evan Smith (Adelaide University/Flinders University) is the current book reviews editor for the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History. The journal is calling for potential book reviewers, so...
networks.h-net.org
January 24, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Check out our call for Book Reviews for 2026. Please get in touch with @evansmithhist.bsky.social if you have a book in mind: networks.h-net.org/group/announ...
Check out the recent research article 'Visibility and Invisibility: An Examination of Hong Kong’s Film Censorship System during the Cold War Period' by Ziheng Zhou: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Visibility and Invisibility: An Examination of Hong Kong’s Film Censorship System during the Cold War Period
To maintain social order and convey political attitudes, the British who returned to Asia after the Second World War gradually established a film censorship system in Hong Kong, imposing restrictio...
doi.org
January 21, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Check out the recent research article 'Visibility and Invisibility: An Examination of Hong Kong’s Film Censorship System during the Cold War Period' by Ziheng Zhou: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Hot off the press! Check out '‘Alien’ Colonial Law, Anglo–Chinese Power Relations, and the End of the Hong Kong Refugee Regime' by Rosaria Franco: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
‘Alien’ Colonial Law, Anglo–Chinese Power Relations, and the End of the Hong Kong Refugee Regime
This article examines the end of the ‘Hong Kong refugee regime’, a by-product of the open borders between Hong Kong and China agreed in several nineteenth-century trade treaties between the British...
doi.org
January 20, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Hot off the press! Check out '‘Alien’ Colonial Law, Anglo–Chinese Power Relations, and the End of the Hong Kong Refugee Regime' by Rosaria Franco: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
I am the book reviews editor for @jich.bsky.social and always looking for new review pitches. If you’d like to review a recently published book on imperial, colonial or Commonwealth history (broadly defined), please get in touch: evan dot smith at adelaide dot edu dot au. Authors, get in touch too!
January 19, 2026 at 12:32 PM
I am the book reviews editor for @jich.bsky.social and always looking for new review pitches. If you’d like to review a recently published book on imperial, colonial or Commonwealth history (broadly defined), please get in touch: evan dot smith at adelaide dot edu dot au. Authors, get in touch too!
See Bipasha Bhattacharyya's review of 'Ghostly Past, Capitalist Presence: A Social History of Fear in Colonial Bengal' by Tithi Bhattacharya (Duke University Press, 2024): doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Ghostly Past, Capitalist Presence: A Social History of Fear in Colonial Bengal
Published in The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History (Ahead of Print, 2026)
doi.org
January 19, 2026 at 10:56 AM
See Bipasha Bhattacharyya's review of 'Ghostly Past, Capitalist Presence: A Social History of Fear in Colonial Bengal' by Tithi Bhattacharya (Duke University Press, 2024): doi.org/10.1080/0308...
See the recent #OpenAccess debate essay 'The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views' by John B. Quigley: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views
As reparations are being demanded from more former colonial powers, Britain is in the crosshairs for Palestine, given the century-long conflict that has resulted. According to the view most commonl...
doi.org
January 17, 2026 at 10:34 AM
See the recent #OpenAccess debate essay 'The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views' by John B. Quigley: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Check out the recent exploration 'Against a Mercatorial Sovereignty: The British Imperial State and the East India Company, 1783–1784' by Sunit Singh: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Against a Mercatorial Sovereignty: The British Imperial State and the East India Company, 1783–1784
Transformed by the experience of decades of imperial crisis, Charles James Fox introduced a series of measures in Parliament, in the autumn of 1783, proposing to remake the British Empire in India....
doi.org
January 16, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Check out the recent exploration 'Against a Mercatorial Sovereignty: The British Imperial State and the East India Company, 1783–1784' by Sunit Singh: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
See the latest article 'The Implementation of the 1943 Sino-British Treaty and the Liquidation of British Interests in Post-Treaty-Port China: Perspectives from Tianjin, 1945–1948' by Taoyu Yang: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
The Implementation of the 1943 Sino-British Treaty and the Liquidation of British Interests in Post-Treaty-Port China: Perspectives from Tianjin, 1945–1948
As a pivotal document in the history of Sino-British relations, the 1943 Sino-British Treaty not only abrogated Britain’s extraterritorial privileges but also included provisions on the management ...
doi.org
January 15, 2026 at 12:19 AM
See the latest article 'The Implementation of the 1943 Sino-British Treaty and the Liquidation of British Interests in Post-Treaty-Port China: Perspectives from Tianjin, 1945–1948' by Taoyu Yang: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Have a read of the recent article 'Rubber Crisis and the Malayan Emergency' by Koon Kein Pang: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Rubber Crisis and the Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) has traditionally been studied through the lens of political history, with a particular focus on the tensions between the Malayan Communist Party and the British c...
doi.org
January 13, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Have a read of the recent article 'Rubber Crisis and the Malayan Emergency' by Koon Kein Pang: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Check out the recent article 'Circumvention of Most-Favoured-Nation clause by the policy of Imperial Preferences' by Vikramaditya Awasthy: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Circumvention of Most-Favoured-Nation clause by the policy of Imperial Preferences
This study examines how the British Empire strategically circumvented the most-favoured-nation (MFN) clause through the policy of Imperial Preferences during the interwar period. While existing sch...
doi.org
January 12, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Check out the recent article 'Circumvention of Most-Favoured-Nation clause by the policy of Imperial Preferences' by Vikramaditya Awasthy: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
New book review published advance access by @jich.bsky.social
@patrickcacicedo.bsky.social reviews "Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology", edited by Emma D. Watkins and Eleanor Bland
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@patrickcacicedo.bsky.social reviews "Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology", edited by Emma D. Watkins and Eleanor Bland
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology, by
Published in The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History (Ahead of Print, 2026)
www.tandfonline.com
January 10, 2026 at 11:13 PM
New book review published advance access by @jich.bsky.social
@patrickcacicedo.bsky.social reviews "Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology", edited by Emma D. Watkins and Eleanor Bland
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@patrickcacicedo.bsky.social reviews "Imperial Crime and Punishment: Approaches from Historical Criminology", edited by Emma D. Watkins and Eleanor Bland
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Fresh and #OpenAccess, see 'Decolonisation, Unstable Sovereignties and Development: The Indian Sterling Balance Negotiations of 1947' by Atiya Hussain: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Decolonisation, Unstable Sovereignties and Development: The Indian Sterling Balance Negotiations of 1947
Indo-British financial negotiations in 1947, a crucial year in the compressed timing of imperial retreat, impacted the shape of decolonisation and also the U.S.-led post-War global financial system...
doi.org
January 9, 2026 at 3:51 AM
Fresh and #OpenAccess, see 'Decolonisation, Unstable Sovereignties and Development: The Indian Sterling Balance Negotiations of 1947' by Atiya Hussain: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Check out the recent article 'Resistance in the Penal Space: Andaman Hunger Strikes and the Inverted Narrative of India’s Struggle for Freedom' by Susmita Sarangi & Akshaya K. Rath: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Resistance in the Penal Space: Andaman Hunger Strikes and the Inverted Narrative of India’s Struggle for Freedom
This article examines Andaman penal narratives and argues that resistance is a central metaphor in India’s penal transportation history, not only as defiance but also as a process of political iden...
doi.org
January 6, 2026 at 3:24 AM
Check out the recent article 'Resistance in the Penal Space: Andaman Hunger Strikes and the Inverted Narrative of India’s Struggle for Freedom' by Susmita Sarangi & Akshaya K. Rath: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
There has recently been a welcome growth in work at the intersection of business history and German colonial. This very interesting essay, from @nkleinoeder.bsky.social, is the most recent addition to this emerging stream of work.
New and #OpenAccess, check out 'On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915' by Nina Kleinöder: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915
The Swakopmund jetty was one of only two entry points to the colony of German South West Africa (GSWA) located on the Atlantic coast. It was first built as a silted-up mole at the turn of the centu...
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 8:30 PM
There has recently been a welcome growth in work at the intersection of business history and German colonial. This very interesting essay, from @nkleinoeder.bsky.social, is the most recent addition to this emerging stream of work.
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
Our latest 'Current Debates' essay is now out! In 'The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views' John B. Quigley questions the legality of Britain's League of Nations Mandate over Palestine. #OpenAccess @jich.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0308...
doi.org/10.1080/0308...
The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views
As reparations are being demanded from more former colonial powers, Britain is in the crosshairs for Palestine, given the century-long conflict that has resulted. According to the view most commonl...
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Our latest 'Current Debates' essay is now out! In 'The Debate over British Reparations for Mandate-Era Governance of Palestine? Three views' John B. Quigley questions the legality of Britain's League of Nations Mandate over Palestine. #OpenAccess @jich.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/0308...
doi.org/10.1080/0308...
See the fascinating #OpenAccess essay 'The East India Company as Landowner' by John Marriott: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
The East India Company as Landowner
Published in The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History (Ahead of Print, 2025)
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 10:48 AM
See the fascinating #OpenAccess essay 'The East India Company as Landowner' by John Marriott: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
I started the first working week of 2026 with this very interesting text by @nkleinoeder.bsky.social. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in the intersection of colonial labour history, colonial business history and infrastructure history.
New and #OpenAccess, check out 'On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915' by Nina Kleinöder: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915
The Swakopmund jetty was one of only two entry points to the colony of German South West Africa (GSWA) located on the Atlantic coast. It was first built as a silted-up mole at the turn of the centu...
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 7:45 AM
I started the first working week of 2026 with this very interesting text by @nkleinoeder.bsky.social. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in the intersection of colonial labour history, colonial business history and infrastructure history.
Reposted by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
Returning to my research today I am pleased to find this on my virtual desk.
The article focusses on the iron jetty in Swakopmund (Namibia) that was built after the colonial war. It connects perspectives of business, labour and colonial history.
The article focusses on the iron jetty in Swakopmund (Namibia) that was built after the colonial war. It connects perspectives of business, labour and colonial history.
New and #OpenAccess, check out 'On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915' by Nina Kleinöder: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
On Site. Colonial Labour, Business and the Construction of the Swakopmund Jetty, c. 1911–1915
The Swakopmund jetty was one of only two entry points to the colony of German South West Africa (GSWA) located on the Atlantic coast. It was first built as a silted-up mole at the turn of the centu...
doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Returning to my research today I am pleased to find this on my virtual desk.
The article focusses on the iron jetty in Swakopmund (Namibia) that was built after the colonial war. It connects perspectives of business, labour and colonial history.
The article focusses on the iron jetty in Swakopmund (Namibia) that was built after the colonial war. It connects perspectives of business, labour and colonial history.
Check out one of our latest #OpenAccess piece 'The Bankruptcy of the ‘South Sea Kings’: Plantation Business, Labour Recruitment and German Politics in the Western Pacific, 1870s and 1880s' by Julian zur Lage: doi.org/10.1080/0308...
The Bankruptcy of the ‘South Sea Kings’: Plantation Business, Labour Recruitment and German Politics in the Western Pacific, 1870s and 1880s
The Hamburg merchant house Joh. Ces. Godeffroy & Sohn shaped the German presence in the Western Pacific from the 1850s until its bankruptcy in 1879. While initially focusing on trade, a shift towar...
doi.org
January 4, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Check out one of our latest #OpenAccess piece 'The Bankruptcy of the ‘South Sea Kings’: Plantation Business, Labour Recruitment and German Politics in the Western Pacific, 1870s and 1880s' by Julian zur Lage: doi.org/10.1080/0308...