Recent work on indenture in the British World

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the historiography of indentured labor in the 18th and 19th centuries, along with a brief narrative of the origin and definition of indenture. It traces the evolution of the history of indenture in the “British World” (defined here as the areas under both formal and informal British imperial control) from a neglected field to a major focus of historical study. The final section summarizes the current state of the field, assessing how it has moved beyond its earlier focus on social history, demographics, and diaspora studies to become an entry point for wider discussions about the history of imperialism and colonialism, the global history of capitalism, and the history of networks and exchanges between the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean Worlds.