The first in-depth analysis of archival methodologies in the writing of global history, focused on a Japanese migrant steamship in the 1880s-90s. Tracing the ship's journeys between Japan, Hawai'i, Southeast Asia and Australia, Martin Dusinberre analyses labour migration, settler colonialism and resource extraction in the Asia-Pacific world. This engaging investigation into archival practice asks, what is the global archive, where is it cited, and who are 'we' as we cite it? This title is also available as Open Access.