Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives [Paperback]

David Kyle (Editor), Rey Koslowski (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2001

During the past decade, human smuggling across national borders grew from a low-level border crossing activity in a handful of countries to a diverse multibillion dollar business spanning the entire globe. New laws in several states, the creation and expansion of new enforcement and management agencies with enormous budgets, and multilateral programs around the world are currently being developed to combat human smuggling. But how well do we understand it? This volume explores the global dimensions of human smuggling in several forms and regions, examining its deep social, economic, and cultural roots and its broad political consequences.

Part I discusses the sociohistorical context and contemporary diversity of human smuggling of migrants, asylum-seekers, and those who are tricked into slavery, including the conflicting role of states and corrupt state officials as contributing to the problem. In Part II, the authors present high profile case studies that include U.S.-Mexican border smuggling, the international business of trafficking women from the former Soviet Union, and the origins and social organization of human smuggling as a global business from China and Southeast Asia. In Part III, contributors examine the politics of human smuggling, looking more closely at the legal construction of victimized women trafficked into slavery, the social construction of smuggled immigrants as threats to the social order, and the sanctioning of unauthorized employment of illegal immigrants.

Contributors: Peter Andreas, Reed College • Ko-Lin Chin, Rutgers University, Newark • John Dale, University of California, Davis • Nora Demleitner, St. Mary's University • James O. Finckenauer, National Institute of Justice • H. Richard Friman, Marquette University • Khalid Koser, University College, London • Rey Koslowski, Rutgers University, Newark • Peter Kwong, Hunter College • David Kyle, University of California, Davis • Zai Liang, City University of New York • Mark J. Miller, University of Delaware • Eileen Scully, Princeton University • David Spener, Trinity University • Wenzhen Ye, Xiamen University

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book's wide comparative breadth, the authors' theoretical sophistication, the up-to-date references and especially the contemporary and intensifying topic of the worldwide political struggle about migration (both legal and illegal), make this book a notable accomplishment... a must-read for all civic-minded citizens, interested scholars and, especially, required reading for politicians.

(Katalin Fabian International Migration Review 2003)

The book is significant because it challenges and reassesses many widely held views on controversial issues and it should change current thinking on the topic... Stimulating, informative and informed.

(Ronald Skeldon Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies )

Illegal immigration and those who profit from it are topics of great interest to the general public and scholars alike. In this careful scholarly examination of the subject, the authors place the issues in historical and comparative context, examining the emergence of international law and a global moral order of human rights while also exploring the political and economic aspects of the illicit traffic in people. Although the literature on migration is huge, this is the only scholarly book that comprehensively focuses on the topic of human smuggling.

(Chris Chase-Dunn, University of California, Riverside )

From the Publisher

Contributors: Peter Andreas, Reed College • Ko-Lin Chin, Rutgers University, Newark • John Dale, University of California, Davis • Nora Demleitner, St. Mary's University • James O. Finckenauer, National Institute of Justice • H. Richard Friman, Marquette University • Khalid Koser, University College, London • Rey Koslowski, Rutgers University, Newark • Peter Kwong, Hunter College • David Kyle, University of California, Davis • Zai Liang, City University of New York • Mark J. Miller, University of Delaware • Eileen Scully, Princeton University • David Spener, Trinity University • Wenzhen Ye, Xiamen University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (May 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801865905
• ISBN-13: 978-0801865909
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #662,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First thoughtful overview of human smuggling, April 17, 2002

By 

Amy Braden (Great Neck, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives (Paperback)

The topic of human smuggling makes most people think of yet another global mafia business tricking people into slavery. In contrast, this book provides an excellent overview of the complexity and diversity of migrants and refugees trying to get across borders simply to find jobs or freedom. Especially interesting are the historical chapters that place this social issue into perspective and draw parallels with previous "white slavery scares." The book also presents diverse types of research in different countries to provide a mosaic rather than a grand theory of human smuggling. Hopefully more similarly thoughtful work on this topic will follow. Of course, no book on a topic like this can be up to date, so some of the things the authors discuss will have to be reevaluated after 9/11.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pretty good set of journal articles, January 8, 2004

By 

Neel Aroon "jaroon7648" (Lexington, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives (Paperback)

There are many dimensions to the transport of people across international borders. Global Human Smuggling provide a historical and contemporary look at the topic. They start with the traffic of sex slaves in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They focus on topics such as asylum seekers, ill-legal immigration to America from Mexico and Asia. The book also deals with the topics of organized crime. Russian, Chinese and Mexican organized crime units have played parts in transporting humans from one country to anotuehr. The book also deals with the political impact of smuggling people across borders. Countries such as Japan and the United States have been cracking down the use of illegal aliens and both countries have seen xenophobia saying that foreigners are responsible for crime and lowering native wages.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on an important topic, July 10, 2010

By 

Saara - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives (Paperback)

This is a collection of articles on a topic of relevance for most developed nations today: human smuggling. We may be aware of such a phenomenon, but know little about how, why and where it all happens. What kinds of barriers have states put up to prevent illegal immigration? Do they work? Why are people so desperate to enter the global North that they are willing to risk their lives, pay a fortune and possibly face rape, abuse and inhuman conditions to do so? This book is an excellent introduction to the topic - well worth the attention of any student or researcher interested in migration or global mobility.