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Constructing Human Trafficking

Evangelicals, Feminists, and an Unexpected Alliance

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  • © 2019

Overview

Authors:
  1. Jennifer K. Lobasz

    1. Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Wilmington, USA

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  • Offers an empirically novel account of the US framing of trafficking as a response to Evangelical attempts to widen the frame
  • Speaks to an urgent transnational issue of concern to activists, voters and policymakers around the globe
  • Contributes to theoretical debates on feminism and poststructuralism in international relations

Part of the book series: Human Rights Interventions (HURIIN)

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Trafficking Is Problematic

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 1-27

  3. Contemporary Approaches to Human Trafficking

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 29-68

  4. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 69-113

  5. “Especially Women and Children”

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 115-161

  6. Who’s to Bless and Who’s to Blame

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 163-196

  7. Victims, Villains, and the Virtuous

    • Jennifer K. Lobasz
    Pages 197-204

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 205-210
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Keywords

About this book

Human trafficking has come to be seen as a growing threat, and transnational advocacy networks opposed to human trafficking have succeeded in establishing trafficking as a pressing political problem. The meaning of human trafficking, however, remains an object of significant—and heated—contestation. This project draws upon feminist and poststructuralist international relations theories to offer a genealogy of U.S. neo-abolitionism. The analysis examines activist campaigns, legislative and policy debates, and legislation surrounding human trafficking and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in order to argue that the dominant US framing of trafficking as prostitution and sex slavery is not as hegemonic as scholars and activists commonly argue. In fact, constructions of human trafficking have become more amenable to reconfiguration, paradoxically in large part because of Evangelical attempts to widen the frame. This is an empirically novel and theoretically rich account of an urgent transnational issue of concern to activists, voters and policymakers around the globe. 

Reviews

“This book is a must-read for anyone (scholar, practitioner, student) interested in trafficking and sex work. It includes the clearest and most effective analysis of feminist abolitionism that I have read. Lobasz also deftly balances a critical exploration of the contested nature of anti-trafficking discourses with what she calls a ‘generous’ account of these discourses, so as to thoughtfully engage with audiences that are not already convinced by the critiques.” (Meghana V. Nayak, Professor of Political Science, Chair of Women's and Gender Studies, Pace University, USA)

“Constructing Human Trafficking will change the way you think about trafficking. With lively prose and fascinating historical detail, Jennifer K. Lobasz narrates the emergence of trafficking as a humanitarian concern, and shows how its depoliticization became the basis of an unlikely alliance between feminists and evangelical Christians. An important book for anyone engaged in the problem of trafficking.” (Cara Daggett, Department of Political Science, Virginia Tech, USA)

“Constructing Human Trafficking is a unique and singular contribution—it demonstrates that even a concept that seems straightforward like ‘human trafficking’ has both constructed and contested meanings. Lobasz’s discourse analysis is thorough and revealing, and provides crucial insights to any feminist—or any policymaker—interested in taking trafficking seriously.” (Laura Sjoberg, Department of Political Science, University of Florida, USA)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Wilmington, USA

    Jennifer K. Lobasz

About the author

Jennifer K. Lobasz is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science & International Relations and the Department of Women & Gender Studies at the University of Delaware, USA.

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