The Overseer State: Slavery, Indenture and Governance in the British Empire, 1812–1916

— —

Sascha Auerbach (University of Nottingham)

The Overseer State

Slavery, Indenture and Governance in the British Empire, 1812–1916

Sascha Auerbach (University of Nottingham)

$201.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Cambridge University Press
27 March 2025

General & world history; Asian history; Colonialism & imperialism; National liberation & independence, post-colonialism; Slavery & abolition of slavery

Series: Critical Perspectives on Empire

In this compelling work, Sascha Auerbach offers a bold new historical interpretation of late-stage slavery, its long-term legacies, and its entanglement with the development of the modern state. In the wake of abolition, from the Caribbean to southern Africa to Southeast Asia, a fusion of government authority and private industry replaced the iron chains of slavery with equally powerful fetters of law and regulation. This 'overseer-state' helped move, often through deceptive and coercive methods, millions of Indian and Chinese indentured laborers across Britain's imperial possessions. With a perspective that ranges from Parliament to the plantation, the book brings to light the fascinating and terrifying history of the world's first truly global labor system, those who struggled under its heavy yoke, and the bitter legacies left in its wake.

By: Sascha Auerbach (University of Nottingham)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781009315791
ISBN 10: 100931579X
Series: Critical Perspectives on Empire
Pages: 382
Publication Date: 27 March 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Sascha Auerbach is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Nottingham and a former Fullbright Scholar and Leverhulme Trust Fellow. He is the author of Armed with Sword and Scales (2022) and Race, Law and 'The Chinese Puzzle' in Imperial Britain (2009).

Reviews for The Overseer State: Slavery, Indenture and Governance in the British Empire, 1812–1916

'This brilliant book about systems of labour governance across the British empire from late slavery through systems of indenture transforms our understanding of labour history and the world-historical context of workers' demands for recognition of their rights and needs as human beings.' Marilyn Lake, author of Drawing the Global Colour Line 'A compelling account of the overseer-state across wide swaths of the British Empire. In this impressively researched book, Sascha Auerbach documents how the British state took on the role of labour management and control in its Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asian colonies as a result of amelioration, apprenticeship, and indenture.' Gad Heuman, The Caribbean: A Brief History