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Global Human Smuggling: Comparative Perspectives

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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.

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.

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.