This open access handbook takes a comparative and global approach to analyse the practice of slavery throughout history. To understand slavery - why it developed, and how it functioned in various... Show moreThis open access handbook takes a comparative and global approach to analyse the practice of slavery throughout history. To understand slavery - why it developed, and how it functioned in various societies – is to understand an important and widespread practice in world civilisations. With research traditionally being dominated by the Atlantic world, this collection aims to illuminate slavery that existed in not only the Americas but also ancient, medieval, North and sub-Saharan African, Near Eastern, and Asian societies. Connecting civilisations through migration, warfare, trade routes and economic expansion, the practice of slavery integrated countries and regions through power-based relationships, whilst simultaneously dividing societies by class, race, ethnicity and cultural group. Uncovering slavery as a globalising phenomenon, the authors highlight the slave-trading routes that crisscrossed Africa, helped integrate the Mediterranean world, connected Indian Ocean societies and fused the Atlantic world. Split into five parts, the handbook portrays the evolution of slavery from antiquity to the contemporary era and encourages readers to realise similarities and differences between various manifestations of slavery throughout history. Providing a truly global coverage of slavery, and including thematic injections within each chronological part, this handbook is a comprehensive and transnational resource for all researchers interested in slavery, the history of labour, and anthropology. Show less
The introduction to this volume explains the condition of slavery (including its definition and its place at the far end of a broad spectrum of coercion and unfreedom); illuminates conceptual and... Show moreThe introduction to this volume explains the condition of slavery (including its definition and its place at the far end of a broad spectrum of coercion and unfreedom); illuminates conceptual and methodological choices; and discusses the layout and main intentions of the handbook. In particular it discusses how scholars approach the study of slavery, as well as some common themes in global slavery scholarship. It also underscores the intention of this volume to both historicize and spatialize slavery—i.e., to historicize it by moving beyond linear stories that trace slavery from Graeco-Roman antiquity and end with transatlantic slavery and abolition; and to spatialize it by recentering the geography of slavery, illuminating regional contexts of slavery around the world. Show less
The right to free movement and the mobility of people as guaranteed by the Schengen Agreement have given rise to challenges regarding transnational organised crime and particularly migrant... Show moreThe right to free movement and the mobility of people as guaranteed by the Schengen Agreement have given rise to challenges regarding transnational organised crime and particularly migrant smuggling and human trafficking. Against the backdrop of processes of globalization and securitization of irregular immigration, the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime in 2000 established a strict dichotomy between migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The distinction has led to different protective frameworks provided to (worthy) victims of human trafficking versus (undeserving) objects of migrant smuggling. This research addresses this legal dichotomy and unpacks the blurred boundaries between the two phenomena. Taking Belgium, a country of transit, as a case study, the work focuses on the sensitive topic of unauthorised ‘secondary migration movements’ taking place within the Schengen Area. Relying notably on semi-structured expert interviews, this socio-legal research empirically examines the functioning of the Belgian legal approach to deal with aggravated forms of migrant smuggling which allows victims to access the protective legal status usually strictly reserved to human trafficking victims. The research shows how this unique protective approach affects the governance of transit migration in Belgium, and more generally, unveils the real-life consequences of rigid legal categories. Show less
The subject of this enquiry is human trafficking in Nigeria, its manifestations, and how the institutional response as well as context of interventions has been in Nigeria in the period 1960-2020.... Show moreThe subject of this enquiry is human trafficking in Nigeria, its manifestations, and how the institutional response as well as context of interventions has been in Nigeria in the period 1960-2020. This period is purposively chosen to coincide with the marking of the African year 2020 by Leiden University; specifically, it relates to the African Studies Centre of Leiden University’s theme Africa 2020, specifically Reflecting on 60 Years of Independence. The perspective that we have chosen for dealing with analysing this specific phenomenon takes due account of three main aspects – the definitional and the manifestations (forced labour, sexual exploitation, factors of internal displacements), the spatial or geographical dimensions (the domestic and international profile of Nigeria as source, transit, and destination context), and the institutional scopes of interventions (international conventions and protocols, related government departments and agencies, NGOs, international organisations) collaborating with Nigeria in relation to human trafficking. Show less
This is an examination of the Nigerian government’s main institutional response to the human trafficking conundrum. This is done through the lens of the National Agency for the Prohibition of... Show moreThis is an examination of the Nigerian government’s main institutional response to the human trafficking conundrum. This is done through the lens of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). Here we present the responsibilities and functions of the national agency and critically review how it operationalises its mandate, taking care to lay bare its achievements, challenges, and the way forward for policy, practice, and partnerships for success over the scourge of human trafficking. Show less
Traditional police tactics such as rapid response and reactive enforcement continue to dominate the police response against human trafficking despite knowledge about the challenges and potential... Show moreTraditional police tactics such as rapid response and reactive enforcement continue to dominate the police response against human trafficking despite knowledge about the challenges and potential harm of using these tactics. Through the case of illicit massage businesses (IMBs), this study examines why police continue to rely on strategies that have received little empirical support. In-depth interviews with police, prosecutors, and other practitioners indicate that citizen concerns about human trafficking trigger police responses such as reactive investigations, sting operations, and shutdowns of IMBs. While law enforcement officials recognize the limited effectiveness and potential harm of the current response, adapting how police respond to IMBs is challenged by perceptual and institutional barriers. With these findings, the study contributes to the research and theory on traditional policing and informs targeted and victim-centered anti-trafficking efforts. Show less
This study analyses the relations between Siam and the League of Nations from 1920 to 1940. It identifies Siam’s policy towards the League as a cornerstone of Siam’s foreign policy and an important... Show moreThis study analyses the relations between Siam and the League of Nations from 1920 to 1940. It identifies Siam’s policy towards the League as a cornerstone of Siam’s foreign policy and an important element of Siam’s domestic modernization during the sixth, seventh and eighth reigns of the Chakri dynasty. In doing so, the study aims at adding a key multilateral dimension to the existing historical analysis of Thai foreign relations during the first half of the twentieth century. It argues that Siam’s League membership played an important role in modernizing the country, reaffirming elite rule and regaining full sovereignty. This study concentrates on the inter-war years and traces Siam’s League membership in the most significant areas of interaction among the wide range of multilateral policy fields. It draws on extensive primary sources which have so far not been studied; the bulk of these files are located at the Thai National Archives in Bangkok and at the League of Nations Archives at the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva. Show less
