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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS)

@migrationhistorian.bsky.social
1.2K followers 364 following 37 posts

Historian. Author. Associate Professor. Studies: Britain, British Empire, South & Southeast Asia, women’s history, migration history Author of: Waiting on Empire: Ayahs in Britain (OUP, 2023) Fleeting Agencies: Coolie women in Malaysia (CUP, 2021)

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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
introducing to y’all DFWCURRYCHRONICLES -Uncovering rich history of South Asian curries & curry maestros in DFW. A research project I am co-leading with @moye.bsky.social pl visit our first social page from the project at: www.instagram.com/dfwcurrychro... pl reach out if u want to get involved
instagram.com
Instagram
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Chatted about history of football (ahem soccer) chants with NBC5
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Self promotion alert! My new article is out now. 🤗 If you can’t access through your institutions let me know I have a limited number of free access links for your reading pleasure 🤗 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Imperial surveillance of marital distress: the Tute divorce case and the British Raj
Through a close study of Richard and Helen Tute’s divorce experiences (1897–1913), this paper captures the historical nuances of imperial family histories through the lens of marital breakdowns. Sp...
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Taking a moment to celebrate these women this Mother's Day... who "mothered" soooo many children across the world! WAITING ON EMPIRE - the stories of incredible traveling ayahs (and the exhibition we co-curated at the museum of the home!) @academic.oup.com @museumofthehome.bsky.social
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Reposted by Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS)
Mikko Toivanen @mtoiv.bsky.social · 03/09/2024
I had the pleasure to review Arunima Datta's wonderful book 'Waiting on Empire: A History of Indian Travelling Ayahs in Britain' for Cultural & Social History. A very welcome corrective to the entrenched biases in histories of travel. 🗃️
tandfonline.com
Waiting on Empire: A History of Indian Travelling Ayahs in Britain
Published in Cultural and Social History: The Journal of the Social History Society (Ahead of Print, 2024)
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Immigrants & Minorities @imm-min-journal.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Our third issue of the year was launched on Friday and is now fully available to access here. Read articles from Christopher Joby, Arunima Datta, Andrekos Varnava, and many more. www.tandfonline.com/toc/fimm20/4...
tandfonline.com
Immigrants & Minorities
Volume 43, Issue 3 of Immigrants & Minorities
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Himal Southasian @himalsouthasian.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
#WomensDay #WomenAtWork In ‘Waiting on Empire’, Arunima Datta resurrects the largely forgotten travelling ayahs – one of the many groups of Southasian migrant workers in the British Empire, writes @Sohel Sarkar
buff.ly
The incomplete histories of women migrant caregivers under the British Empire
In ‘Waiting on Empire’, Arunima Datta resurrects the largely forgotten travelling ayahs – one of the many groups of Southasian migrant workers in the British Empire
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
My interview with bbc features for their story on knocker uppers is now out: www.bbc.com/future/artic... To read more about the history of knocker uppers see my article - academic.oup.com/jvc/article/... (might I add it received the honor of bring an editor’s choice artcle)
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Happy thanksgiving everyone! My neighbor (I’m lucky to have another author living next to me) just alerted me that my book (WAITING ON EMPIRE: history of Indian travelling ayahs in Britain) is on sale now @amazon
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Excited to see my book - WAITING ON EMPIRE (Indian ayahs in Britain) sharing space with @willdalrymple.bsky.social at Chester Beatty Museum 🥳🤗
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Looking forward to sharing incredible stories of mobile caregivers (Indian ayahs who travelled) from 19th and 20th century.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Out now! Tadaaa! My essay on Indian performers in Britain Let me know if you would like a copy and don't have access to it via your library
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Journal of Victorian Culture @jofvictculture.bsky.social · 29/03/2024
Arunima Datta weaves together the larger histories of colonialism, migration, adaptation, acculturation, and globalization through an incredible history of Indian curry in Britain. Check out 'Curry Tales of the Empire' today! Read here: jvc.oup.com/2021/05/27/c...
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Indian Ocean World Centre @iowcmcgill.bsky.social · 24/01/2024
Join us for the new season of the Indian Ocean World Podcast 🎙️! In this new episode, Dr Arunima Datta discusses her article, "Race, Anxiety and Shopping in the Australian Outback...” and her new monograph, "Waiting on Empire: A History of Indian Travelling Ayahs in Britain" Listen here:
appraisingrisk.com
Arunima Datta, “Race, Anxiety and Shopping in the Australian Outback: Indian Hawkers and Victoria�...
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Patricia 🧡 @delapatrixia.bsky.social · 05/01/2024
Another highlight: the Reading Resilience presentation by Arunima Datta and Jonathan Fardy. It is so interesting learning more about archives in nontraditional formats with my background as an archivist and as a current student of history. #AHA24
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Himal Southasian @himalsouthasian.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
From June 2024: In ‘Waiting on Empire’, Arunima Datta resurrects the largely forgotten travelling ayahs – one of the many groups of Southasian migrant workers in the British Empire. A review essay by @SohelS28: buff.ly/RIb4CWz
buff.ly
The incomplete histories of women migrant caregivers under the British Empire
In ‘Waiting on Empire’, Arunima Datta resurrects the largely forgotten travelling ayahs – one of the many groups of Southasian migrant workers in the British Empire
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Thank you 🙏🏽
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Western Association of Women Historians (WAWH) @wawh.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
This is a talk you won't want to miss! Join us in Santa Clara, California 8/1 for Dr. Arunima Datta's luncheon presentation of “Waiting on Empire: Travelling Ayahs in Britain and a History of Migration, Labor, and Counterflows of Empire.” Follow the link to register: www.pcb-aha.org/archives/2089
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Delighted to share I will be delivering the AHA-PCB’s WAWH sponsored luncheon lecture this year wawh.org/wawh-in-the-...
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
So honored to have presented my recent work on south Asian performers in Britain at the British Library. Thank you to all who came and thanks for the engaging questions and comments.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Here is a local history and archives project I did with archives in UK. they have a whole series of shorts. But this is a snapshot …. Wanna know more about travelling ayahs … get in touch 🤗 youtu.be/w2Jx6RvNMhY?...
youtu.be
Travelling Ayahs in Britain with Dr Arunima Datta
YouTube video by Dig Where You Stand
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Looking forward to speaking at the BRITISH LIBRARY soon
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Delighted to share that my article on travelling entertainers/performers in Britain just got published in Journal of Immigrants and Minorities (a journal that has for long inspired me! 🥹) www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Entertaining the metropole: vagrancy, repatriation and Indian performers in Britain
During the nineteenth century, several British colonial agents and touring companies working in the entertainment industry brought Indian travelling performers to Britain. However, these performers...
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
Late in posting these but as the term ends … I do believe this event from March 25 was the most rewarding experience and a highlight of the year for me…🤗 thank you @museumofthehome.bsky.social for collaborating and bringing to life the stories of these incredible women.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Thann you @enghistrev.bsky.social for reviewing my recent book.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
If you happen to be in London and are interested come visit 🤗 www.museumofthehome.org.uk/whats-on/eve...
museumofthehome.org.uk
Housewarming: A Victorian Home from Kolkata to London | Museum of the Home
Housewarming: A Victorian Home from Kolkata to London - Enjoy exclusive late-night access to our galleries with a special tour of A Townhouse in 1878, led by co-curator and historian of the British Em...
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Whenever I’m having a rough day …I just have to look at this painting that a former student made for her art series on women and resilience 🥹🥹🥹
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 27/12/2024
A moving review of my work in Bengali.
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
RUDE!!!! I heard someone say “I wasn’t even born when Backstreet Boys formed! And I still like them as antique music” I get it we are getting old. But still RUDE! 😂🤣
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
It’s that time of the year when Mariah will seamlessly keep on trying to convince that all she wants for Christmas is “YOU”…. Although I must admit for me it’s WHAM over Mariah! 🤗
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Thank you, @richardjansell.bsky.social Honored that you liked it. I am looking forward to reading your book over the winter break!
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
'While many library services have been recently restored... some feel that the anniversary of the attack should prompt a reckoning about how it happened and whether the British Library and other academic libraries are fully across the immense challenge of digitisation.'
timeshighereducation.com
How the British Library cyberattack disrupted research
Academics who rely on the British Library’s unmatched collection are still feeling the impact of a devastating cyberattack a year ago. Jack Grove hears from those affected and considers how another ca...
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Arunima Datta (PhD, FRHistS) @migrationhistorian.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Last few weeks have been crazy in terms of travel, crisis&more.But my heart is full seeing the reception WAITING ON EMPIRE &my talks have received: keynotes at the SCBS-Kansas City; Conference on reframing home -London;& talk@ University of Hyderabad. Thank you everyone for your incredible support.
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