Zwischen Emanzipation und Repressionc.

Violence was a feature of life aboard Royal Navy ships in the 18th century. However, the seemingly identical acts of violence on board had different logics and functions depending on the addressee. Based on the autobiographies of Black sailors and court records, this article traces these logics of violence and arguesthatthere was specific violence against Black sailors inthe Royal Navy. It is true that service at sea represented an opportunity for emancipation for Black sailors, as there was little institutional discrimination. At the same time, however, disciplinary and everyday violence among crew members proved to be highly racialised. For example, physical violence against Black crew members served as a means of humiliation, exclusion and emasculation, while for white crew members, fistfights were a responsetothe emasculating experience of shipboard conditions and became an essential element of maritime masculinity that strengthened social bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]