91Ö±²¥

Supervisors: 

• Anthony Milton (Primary)
• Michael Bennett (Secondary)

Period:

1500-1800

Thesis abstract:

My thesis explores the relationship between immigration and developing notions of citizenship in seventeenth-century England through the prism of the law. Despite the rich historiography of 17th-century English citizenship, the legal status - and experiences - of migrants have not been placed in dialogue with this of citizens. My thesis explores the following research questions:

How were the alien and citizen defined in seventeenth-century England, and how and why did this change over time? 

What can this tell us about the development of citizenship, subjecthood, and the relationship between the two?

What was the role of the law in defining the citizen and alien, and to what extent was it accepted and contested?

What was the perceived value of keeping people outside or bringing them in?

What links can be recovered between rights theory, and the practice and application of law?

I was a winner of the Pollard Prize (2024). 

My article ''Duplex and reciprocal’ obligation: Calvin’s Case (1608) and the development of early modern English citizenship' was recently published in Historical Research.

I am a co-convenor of the Early Modern Migration Reading Group. In 2023 we were awarded the Royal Historical Society Workshop Scheme Funding for 'Beyond the 'good'/'bad' migrant dichotomy: ways forward for early modern and contemporary history', a workshop delivered on September 5th 2023