David Atkinson

David Atkinson serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Purdue University, where he specializes in the interconnected histories of American and British imperialism, migration, and international relations. His academic trajectory reflects deep engagement with the mechanisms of racial exclusion and empire-building across the Anglo-American world.

Atkinson earned his Ph.D. in History from Boston University, establishing the foundation for his research in transnational historical frameworks. His scholarly contributions focus on the historical construction of borders and racial hierarchies within imperial systems, particularly examining how white supremacist ideologies shaped migration policies across settler colonies.

His research program centers on American foreign relations and migration history, with particular expertise in the containment of Asian labor migration during the early twentieth century. Atkinson's work analyzes how governments in Australasia, North America, and Southern Africa implemented exclusionary policies against Japanese and South Asian migrants, revealing the global architecture of white supremacy. His current project investigates America's commercial empire in the nineteenth century, tracing how economic expansion intertwined with racialized border controls and citizenship definitions.

Analysis of Atkinson's recent publications (2018-2024) demonstrates sustained scholarly engagement with border permeability, imperial legacies, and the racial foundations of modern citizenship. His work consistently connects historical processes of exclusion to contemporary political movements, such as through examinations of the alt-right's historical roots. The publications reveal a methodological commitment to transnational history, frequently comparing Anglo-American settler societies while highlighting Pacific and Atlantic migration corridors.

Atkinson's scholarly impact extends beyond original monographs to critical engagement with historiography through book reviews on pivotal works in imperial and migration history. His publications in venues like Journal of American History and American Historical Review demonstrate rigorous analysis of how race, empire, and migration shaped national identities across the British and American worlds.