From Conflict to Modern Slavery: The Drivers and the Deterrents

The book "From Conflict to Modern Slavery" explores the lives of people after fleeing conflict and arriving in the UK, highlighting how restrictive immigration policies can increase the risk of modern slavery. It emphasizes the vulnerability of individuals who are restricted in their agency and support networks, making them susceptible to exploitation. The book offers personal insights into the experiences of asylum seekers, refugees, and victims of modern slavery and compares them to existing literature to identify factors that make them vulnerable.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 26 May 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

From Conflict to Modern Slavery delves into the lives of individuals who have fled conflict and found themselves in the United Kingdom. Drawing upon insights from interviews with those who have navigated the UK immigration system, the book sheds light on how the country's government and its restrictive and hostile immigration policies can heighten the risk of modern slavery in the UK. By adopting a broad definition of conflict as an organizing concept, which encompasses a broader range of situations beyond war, the work contextualizes these narratives to explore why certain individuals are more vulnerable than others when escaping conflict contexts.

The book examines the ways in which conflict can facilitate modern slavery and the limitations it imposes on individuals' agency and the available legitimate options. It highlights the crucial factor of restricted agency in the face of inherently risky choices, coupled with disruptions in support networks, which places them at the highest risk of modern slavery.

One of the unique strengths of From Conflict to Modern Slavery lies in its empirical focus on a comparative analysis of first-hand accounts. It provides personal insights into the experiences of asylum seekers, refugees, and victims of modern slavery, placing these within the broader context of existing literature to identify specific aspects of people's journeys that can render them susceptible to exploitation. By undertaking this comparative analysis, the book offers a deeper understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by these individuals as they navigate their way through the UK's immigration system and the broader societal context.

Through its comprehensive exploration of the lives of people after fleeing conflict and arriving in the UK, From Conflict to Modern Slavery sheds light on the urgent need for comprehensive policies and interventions to address the risk of modern slavery. It emphasizes the importance of supporting individuals who have been displaced by conflict and providing them with the necessary resources and assistance to rebuild their lives and protect themselves from exploitation. By recognizing the intersection of conflict, migration, and modern slavery, this work contributes to a broader understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable populations and the urgent need for collective action to address them.

Weight: 434g
Dimension: 225 x 145 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192846549