Book Review: Global human trafficking: Critical issues and contexts

• Author: Rebecca Hayes
• Published date: 01 December 2015
• Date: 01 December 2015
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0734016815592447
• Subject Matter: Book Reviews

interviews from individuals who work with victims in various avenues. Individuals working as vic-

tim advocates, judges, and within academia can be found in these excerpts and not only give the

reader additional career options to think about but also provide a lot of current issues that victims

and professionals working with them are facing today. Additionally, suggested websites and short

stories from various forms of media allow for students to take the text and contextualize it into

events that happened or are currently happening in the society.

As an overview, Quinn and Brightman covered a large range of topics and were able to dis-

cuss each topic in enough detail that the reader will be able to use it in further study. However,

throughout the book, gender was often discussed in absence with any race of socioeconomic

status discussion. Considering the contemporary nature of this book and its extra resources, dis-

cussions about race and policing would have made for a stronger victimization discussion, the

only examples used that contextualized race occurred in historical sections and did not move to

contemporary issues surrounding race and victimization. There were several individuals in the

extra interviews who did discuss race and immigration, which was a major strength of the inter-

views themselves.

The author’s work provides a broad and comprehensive introduction to an area often while going

into enough discussion that the reader is able to know and understand the historical and contempo-

rary contexts of each area of victimology. The authors note that they are writing specifically for stu-

dents as an introduction to victimization and criminal justice, but this work is also great for

academics, advocates, and professionals working in the field with victims who want to know more

about the field.

Dragiewicz, M. (2015).

Global human trafficking: Critical issues and contexts. New York, NY: Routledge. 198 pp. $52.95, ISBN 978-0-415-

71110-4

Reviewed by: Rebecca Hayes, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI, USA; KU-Leuven, Belgium

DOI: 10.1177/0734016815592447

Global Human Trafficking: Critical Issues and Contexts delivers empirical work, policy explana-

tions, and critical analysis of human trafficking from multidisciplines. Given that trafficking dis-

course changes according to which discipline, political leaning, ideology, and/or culture the

proper organization of this book was key. Even though it may be a small volume, it includes a dearth

of information on a contemporary hot topic. The book is separated into four sections (of which I go

over individually below), each with relatively short chapters. This is an easy read for undergraduate

students, yet still an essential volume for any scholar. The international focus of the book was

imperative as human trafficking is inherently a global endeavor. My only criticism is not of the book

itself, but at the alarmingly low amount of empirical research that is being conducted on the topic.

Conducting research on this topic is rife with complications in the political and social discourse,

namely, that the focus of human trafficking is mostly on sex trafficking. What this volume demon-

strates is the cross cultural (and political) clashes and ideological differences that may be preventing

real assistance and change to occur. This volume’s narrative demonstrates what can occur when pol-

icies and programs outpace the empirical research of an issue.

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