Aliens in a Revolutionary World: Refugees, Migration Control and Subjecthood in the British Atlantic, 1790<scp>s</scp>–1820<scp>s</scp>

Abstract During the political and military upheavals between 1770s 1820s, societies states across Atlantic world grappled with intricate issues of belonging sovereignty. Along rise new concepts national citizenship, older monarchical or imperial subjecthood underwent fundamental changes. While scholars tend to ascribe these transformations revolutionary innovation, movement hundreds thousands refugees fleeing revolutions violent conflict was no less important in reshaping terms membership. In response migrations, colonial governments passed legislation meant control mobility foreign refugees. Based on case three men colour, sons Haitian refugees, deported from Jamaica 1823, this article explores wider impact regulation alien status had. The 1823 incident set off a major legal battle sprawling debate about membership transforming British Empire. affair raised questions rights foreigners, definition who subject Crown, how sovereignty be conceived period continuous territorial transfers occupations.