Sari Nauman (Incoming Fellow 2024-25)

Associate Professor of History, University of Gothenburg

While in residence as a Pro Futura Scientia Fellow at SCAS during the academic year 2024–2025,
Dr Nauman will be working on a monograph, provisionally titled Internally Displaced Persons in
Early Modernity, introducing the concept of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into early modern
forced migration studies. The book contends that the prevailing characterization of early modern
refugee movements solely as religious, transnational migrations oversimplifies our understanding
of both the early modern refugee regime and the emergence of humanitarianism. There were con-
siderable differences among refugees, notably that while some fled across state borders, many of
them did not. Instead, they travelled within composite monarchies or oversea empires. The recep-
tion of such internal migration holds a key to understanding how and why the obligation to protect
one’s subjects could be extended to those coming from without during this transformative period.
Furthermore, focusing on internal forced migration prompts us to recognize that not all refugees
necessarily fled for religious reasons. Similar to today, early modern refugee movements were
multifaceted, encompassing diverse groups with varied needs and motives. To address that com-
plexity, the book argues that we need to differentiate between these various refugee groups and
examine the factors influencing reception and rejection practices, both locally and centrally, while
recognizing that many factors often intersected.