Human Trafficking as a New (In)Security Threat

This book presents the historical antecedents and contemporary manifestations of human trafficking and its links to national security and analyzes lived experiences of (in)security of trafficked victims, irregular migrants, and asylum seekers in the USA and in EuropeThis book challenges the popular rhetoric linking 'war on terror' with 'war on human trafficking' by juxtaposing lived experiences of survivors of trafficking, refugees, and labor migrants with macro-level security concerns. Part One of the book presents the historical antecedents and contemporary manifestations of human trafficking and its links to national security. Part Two focuses on the other--refugees and asylum seekers--perceived as a national security threat. Goździak spotlights the US refugee resettlement program--its history, slow erosion, and the current danger of possible elimination--and argues that a robust refugee resettlement is not a threat but an asset to the national security. Using examples from Hungary and Poland, the following chapter shows how human trafficking has replaced migration in public narratives, policy responses, and practice with refugees. Part Three analyzes lived experiences of (in)security of trafficked victims, irregular migrants, and asylum seekers in the USA and in Europe, with a special focus on unaccompanied children and adolescents. The concluding chapter asks how security concerns stemming from human trafficking can be reconciled with the need to protect victims. .