Tabitha's Blog

Week 10 - Analysis

2005-12-02T22:27:00.000-08:00

In the Weight of the World, edited by Pierre Bourdieu, a closer look at some of the sociological issues faced by common and marginalized citizens (in France) is described. Issues including education, housing, the family, and others are investigated by a team of sociologists. In a particularly poignant article about housing projects that are the homes of several marginalized communities, issues of race, class, patriotism, nurture, and other things are discussed. The populations of marginalized people cannot relate to each other.

Each population has unvoiced cares and gripes about the municipal government. They all feel like life has been unfair but they do not understand each other and do not understand the ways in which the other handles the cares of life. It was interesting to note that while all the populations of people faced some of the same issues, they each had vastly different ideas of how to react to their situations.

All people, regardless of their backgrounds, education, training, or opportunities will react to tough situations in different ways. Some will continue to live within the laws and mores of society, silently without visible signs of unhappiness or protest while others choose a more active kind of protest, acting out in violence or breaking laws. Although the latter expresses the dissatisfaction with current circumstances where the former does not, the latter does not present arguments for reform or future change.

More often than not, the use of violence or breaking laws does not encourage a positive look at those who are under oppressive conditions but rather strengthens stereotypes about them. Statements like ‘they do not deserve…’ result from behavior that scares and threatens others. Others, especially those outside oppressive conditions, will not seek to understand when chaotic and unruly behavior characterizes those who do not want to live under those conditions. Negative stereotypes are reinforced and others do not question those stereotypes when they are presented with these kinds of archetypes.

What then is the way for oppressed people to respond to circumstances that are unfair or seemingly unfair? Recent history has only produced one powerful example of what people can do to effect change under oppressive conditions—and that was a large number of people for a sustained amount of time: the civil rights movement in the United States. Only with a non-violent, mass protest…and lots of bloodshed was this movement taken seriously by those who were not oppressed. Can any other way work? A violent overthrow, like the French Revolution, did eventually bring lasting change but also brought about a much more turbulent situation than existed before, some may argue.

No matter what, transformation is always difficult to bring about.

Week 9 - Analysis

2005-11-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Inventing Popular Culture by John Storey treated the concept of popular culture from a historical perspective and traced its origins back to a desire by the middle class to idealize the past and condemn the present (Storey 2003:10). Storey also highlighted the correlation between creating a popular and high culture with economic inequality. He did not say that economic inequality was a direct result of high culture but rather quoted philosopher Pierre Bourdieu who suggested that “the making, marking, and maintaining of social difference, help[ed] to secure and legitimate forms of power and domination which are rooted in economic inequality” (Storey 2003: 43). These concepts are important to our understanding of how the poor and marginalized are oppressed and remain oppressed.

Trafficked peoples are part of this stigma. They generally are economically hard-pressed and are trafficked either because they are easy to prey upon by others or seek a new start somewhere that they perceive is better. They are people who have been kept underfoot by society’s desire to maintain social difference. This occurs all over the world…not just in the west and is not necessarily perpetuated by western influence.

It is not unusual for people in many nations to experience this kind of social categorization, even among some prior to industrialization. History records many examples of this kind of social and economic class structure. This is not a new phenomenon.

Storey cautions those who would too quickly say that globalization is really the Americanization of other nations. That implies that it is a one-way influence and that those who are influenced do not interact with the ideas with which they are presented. Both of these assumptions are false. First of all, America itself is the product of many different influences from other nations and is constantly changing. Secondly, other nations do receive a lot of American products and marketing but also mix it with their own culture. It is a two-way, not a one-way street.

So given the fact that this kind of stratification occurs everywhere and it is not necessarily the ideals of one nation over another, it must be dealt with in each nation’s context. Of course the challenge in a world with increasingly blurred boundaries, who decides how to deal with these issues and how are those plans adaptable for future years?

Week 8 - Analysis

2005-11-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

The concept of uneven globalization was discussed in Pieterse’s book Globalization and Culture. By uneven globalization, the author refers to the exclusion of the majority of the earth’s population in economic gain (Pieterse 2003:30). This phenomenon includes many of the world’s “developing” nations and even those who are marginalized in the world’s “developed” nations. While a relatively elite few enjoy the benefits of globalization like technology and information availability, most of the world does not have access to these kinds of services—putting them at a disadvantage to those who do.

This idea is nothing new. Many are aware of the disparate opportunities that those in wealthy nations have over those in not-so-wealthy nations. But what this means for globalization is that those nations that enjoy wealth have a responsibility to nations that do not have wealth. Why? Wealthy nations must respond because in the long run, it will impact their own trade and business. This will occur partly because the “developing” nations will not have healthy economies to contribute to the global markets. They will also not be able to sustain competitive skills in the global marketplace which will create even more of a divide between those nations that can and cannot compete.

This creates an ethos in the “developing” nation of inferiority. And if those who live in the developing nation are inundated with the marketing from wealthier nations, a sense of desire for a myth is created (Pieterse 2003:31). An unrealistic understanding of what the wealthier nation has to offer is also created. Once this idea is prevalent, people from other nations will have a skewed view of the wealthy nation and want to go there, leaving their own nation.

Of course, this is a reductionist line of reasoning. In reality it is not this simple or linear. There are many factors that play into a nation’s wealth. But in a world where economics is part of almost every facet of a nation and the health of the entire globe, it seems too important a piece in the puzzle not to emphasize.

Those in other nations get a picture of what it’s like in the U.S. and since their nation is unable to provide them with the opportunities that are seemingly in the U.S., many choose to migrate. Migration also impacts global economies because they even the endeavors of a small ethnic group in a particular country have lasting impacts on the nation they send money to or live in.

Currency and the economic health of a nation can be influenced by the capital, both foreign and domestic, that is flowing in and out of that nation.

Week 7 - Analysis

2005-11-14T17:21:00.000-08:00

As the situations of international markets have helped create the system of supply and demand that run almost every area of trade in the world, it has also impacted the industry of human trafficking. Some countries that do not have the same kinds of return on investment in global markets as their larger more economically sound counterparts do, have decided to depend on trafficking to build their economies. Not to say they have engaged in trafficking for the purpose of increasing wealth, but trafficking has often not been prevented because it does bring in capital.

In global competition, often those with a lot of capital to begin with have been able to compete. But what about those who do not begin with a large base of capital? It is difficult to say what all the implications of the global economic system are on trafficking. But looking at the local level, we can examine how the consumer culture of Los Angeles (which is a natural outgrowth of supply and demand) impacts the lives of those trafficked to the U.S.

Some trafficked persons choose to be trafficked because they believe that America affords more opportunity, which in some cases it does. This is a testament to American marketing; people all over the globe will do whatever it takes to come to the U.S.

Other persons trafficked into the U.S. are trafficked against their will, either being deceived or physically being taken without their consent. Economically and socially, they exist below the radar. They are not given the chance to make a life for themselves because they are often seen as property or are paying off exorbitant amounts of debt at a small wage.

These victims of trafficking are in great number in the United States and more specifically in Los Angeles. But one of the things that makes it difficult to find them is that the network bringing them into the U.S. is well hidden. Once here, it is virtually impossible to find them because they are illegally housed and paid (if they receive a wage). They often do not receive medical attention and since most do not speak English, have no way of telling anyone what has happened to them.

One way Christ-followers can impact lives is to be wise with the businesses and services we support. Nail salons, hair salons, markets, and other small businesses are places where many trafficked persons are exploited. Christ-followers can open their eyes and become aware of the situation. Spending time documenting what is happening in a particular place and befriending the “victim” are good ways to find out what is really going on. Wisdom is definitely needed because the “victim” could become endangered by overt acts. So it is better to use care when trying to assess a situation.

Then seeking ways to ensure the safety of the person trafficked when alerting local authorities is also necessary. Christ-followers should also take into account that corruption exists in the U.S. and not blindly trust everything that we are told. These may sound like extreme steps but even if befriending a victim of trafficking is all we can do, it will still serve to let the person feel like they have hope.

Week 6 - Analysis

2005-11-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

On the macro level of human trafficking are international issues of human rights. What are the rights to which all people are entitled? And if they are entitled to safety and the freedom to choose what they consider a better life, even if that means disobeying the laws of their country or other countries, is that permissible? Who makes those decisions? And why are they not always upheld?

Cosmopolitan law, according to Held, McGrew, Goldblatt and Perraton, refers to the law that transcends the territorial or governmental structure of autonomous nation-states. Laws that pertain to human rights are generally considered cosmopolitan and are almost universally agreed upon as important or irrevocable.

What makes them difficult is that they do transcend particular power structures. Yes, in a globalized world, they should be easy to identify and uphold. However, as Held et al. describe in their book Global Transformations, globalization is a process or set of processes but in reality it does not refer to one specific construct or idea. The contemporary reality is in fact far from the theoretical concept of globalization.

If this is the case, it explains why it is difficult to identify these cosmopolitan laws and uphold them. There is no power structure in place, other than the UN and internationally-agreed upon treaties that helps identify these laws. And even in those cases, they are a composite of what many agree upon, not all.

At the same time, it is difficult to uphold and enforce these laws in a world where militarization has been the answer to international conflict for a century. In today’s world military force is expected to uphold the laws and rights of people and nations. But if these laws transcend nations, then they also transcend the military powers of those nations. This often pits nation against nation in military conflict to resolve cases of violations of cosmopolitan law. This is obviously not a desirable situation for the nations involved. No nation wants others outside of itself deciding its laws and how it should be run. And no nation wants to be the “policing agent” because it must expend the most resources and face the most censure from its adversaries.

Military might also does not always fall to those who are on the side of those trying to uphold those laws. The issues become even more mirky when looking at the individual rights of those involved. Those trafficked, in general, are trafficked against their will and endure great hardships that most in the world consider a violation of their human dignity. However, those who choose to be trafficked because they are fleeing political unrest in a nation or want to find a better life for themselves choose to endure those conditions. Yes, it is true that many cannot anticipate what they will encounter but some still insist that it is their right to seek a more stable life.

If that is also the case, how then do we determine how to deal with those issues? How do we make decisions that will identify cosmopolitan laws that are universally agreed-upon and how do those ratifying them enforce those laws? The responsibility should be taken by everyone who ratifies those laws but how does that work in a world where countries are working to remain powerful sovereign nations as well as understand where we are in the globalization process(es) and what that means in terms of international responsibility.

Many have proposed that only partnership between nations, organizations, and communities will bring us closer to the solution for human trafficking but that is extremely difficult given the unsure state of international relations and how nations should work.

Week 5 - Analysis

2005-10-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

This week I tried to search for examples of those who are dealing with corruption well in combating human trafficking. It was difficult to do that without falling back on the organization I mentioned last week, International Justice Mission. They are the only ones I found who work to combat corruption in a positive way, meaning they present the corrupt official with an opportunity to make things right and then help that person get the credit for acting with integrity.

Many of the cases that I looked at this week did not have good methods—or any methods at all—to handle the corruption that is part of human trafficking. Most of the nations have laws that target the trafficked person and the trafficker (if they can be caught) and no provision for those corrupt individuals that are complicit in the crime. The nations that have handled situations with corrupt officials, have done so on a case-by-case basis. It would be more powerful for governments to take a stand on punishing corruption but that would probably become uncomfortably close to home for many lawmakers.

While most people would agree that trafficking is a scourge, there is still the question of those who desire to be trafficked, like trying to get out of a nation where it is unsafe and seems impossible to have a good future. What does trafficking mean to those who would willingly do whatever it takes to get out of their nation? And since most governments have laws that punish the trafficked person rather than anyone else, does this really help the situation? If someone is fleeing persecution, their life is in danger, or they want a future that is impossible in their nation shouldn’t we try to help their government? But how can we when no nation wants other nations to get involved in their system of government? All these questions are things that Christ-followers must recognize and think about addressing.

Many people would say that trafficking in such situations is acceptable but what does that mean for trying to prevent trafficking from continuing? Do Christ-followers support this practice or should they support helping people within their context? It is difficult to take a position without opening ourselves up for criticism. So we have to carefully consider the situation and decide how we can help. No matter what stand we take, someone will disagree with the stand, the measures to enforce it, and the ideals behind it.

Although it may step on toes, maybe we should try to do that. To weigh in on the difficult issues surrounding trafficking when the “victim” chooses to be trafficked and what Christ-followers can and should do.

Resources - week 5

2005-10-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

This week I tried to focus on actual nations where steps are being taken to combat trafficking. Here are some of the examples, some of which explain more in detail the specific issues in the nation and what initiatives are being implemented. None of these really had much on how governments are dealing with corruption--only that they recognize it is a factor in the problem.

This report on trafficking in Nigeria is a snapshot of what is going on there and how corruption is involved.

A report about traffcking in Bosnia Herzegovina that contains details of the scope of the problem.

A report on some ways to target corruption in Cambodia.

Here is a section of the TIP report that details the situation on the African continent.

Report on trafficking in Bulgaria.

Report on the Bangladesh situation.

Article on trafficking in Caribbean nations--including my own nation of Guyana.

Here's a press release on the impact of corruption on the trafficking industry.

An article on US-Russia partnership against trafficking.

Site detailing the stand the government is taking regarding the situation in Belarus.

Jewish Conference Luncheon

2005-10-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

The two speakers, Stuart Dauermann and Mitch Glaser, spoke on evangelizing the Jewish people and what that means for evangelical Christians. They have differing approaches to mission within the Jewish context which helped crystallize something that I have been thinking for months.

Often Christ-followers condemn the work of the Church or Christians who have gone before us saying that many of their efforts succeeded only in bringing more division and pain to the world. While this is certainly true, it is also too simplistic to say that everything they did was incorrect and therefore unproductive in the grand scheme of things. There is value in the old as well as the new methods that Christ-followers employ. We should not throw out all the other streams of worshipping God in favor of the new, seemingly-correct modes of worship. If Christ can redeem all things, he can work renewal in some of these forms of worship.

Both speakers urged that whatever our approach, it must be driven by authentic love. At the risk of sounding too simplistic, I would say that is what we need in order to fulfill the mission of the church—whether near or far. Only genuine love for others (and dependence on God’s spirit) will keep us from making some of the mistakes of the past.

Week 4 - Analysis

2005-10-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

Human trafficking is more than an issue of poverty, it is also an intricate combination of economics and power. That does not mean that trafficking only occurs when the originating country is poor. It occurs frequently in affluent nations like the United States, a destination country for many trafficked persons. Part of the reason for this is that potential victims believe that they may have more opportunities to live a better life in an affluent nation. Why is this the case?

Victims who agree to the terms of slavery do so because they believe that once in the affluent nation, they will be able to find a better life. But they are misled into thinking that they will be able to repay the debt they owe their “sponsor.” Victims that are deceived, as the majority are, believe so implicitly that life is better in a nation that has money, that they leave everything they know to reach their goal. For many, this is done to benefit their families as well as themselves.

Traffickers on the other hand have a lot of money. They do not engage in that industry to survive. Rather they choose to build their own wealth by enslaving and deceiving others. It is a scenario where those involved are trying to make a living because of their desperate situations. Traffickers clearly have power—and abuse that power at the expense of others to increase their own financial situations.

In several affluent countries, the problem of trafficking continues. In the U.S. and Japan, there is a high demand and therefore a supply of trafficked peoples for forced labor and the sex trade. Again, the economic situations of traffickers here are not about getting by but rather increasing wealth and making more money.

What can Christ-followers do in light of this? How can we not only prevent those who are suffering from poverty from being in situations where they must make choices to sell themselves but address the misuse of power in traffickers?

Yes, we can call for more legislation and stricter penalties for those who are caught but we must find a way to do more. How can we convince those who are profiting the most from this industry that what they are doing should end? Perhaps some of it is addressing the way women and children are viewed in a particular society. Perhaps it is also making the people more personal to those in power, rather than allowing them to be pieces of property. Perhaps there is a way to make a financial point as well. Whatever the answers, they are complex. But it is evident that Christ-followers must devise a way to influence those who have the power and misuse it for transformation to occur.

Resources - week 4

2005-10-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Forbes article on forced labor...not just a problem in developing nations…also a scourge in affluent countries…why? Globalization and pressures on businesses…

Antislavery organization says that our marketing creates a misconception in the eyes of those who agree to be trafficked for a “better life”

Some best practices of anti-trafficking initiatives – case studies (pg. 18+)

UN Report on the trafficking situation in Europe and recommendations for prevention

consent issues for adults and minors

study about trafficking being demand-driven not just a supply problem

Antislavery – role of multinationals in the problem and what they can do to create a solution

human rights issues

testimonials that point to different issues within trafficking - forced labor, sex trade, etc.

causes and information – specific countries

Week 3 - Analysis

2005-10-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

Researchers and human rights activists are realizing that human trafficking must be prevented as well as combated. Some of the recommendations for prevention include economic trade agreements and increased education or awareness. Although they exist on a small scale, these ideas have not been adopted by every nation that has identified the problem—and not all nations have identified the problem. And the majority of work that is being done in these areas is being done by NGOs (non-governmental organizations) rather than larger power structures. In reality, few governments have really investigated how they can impact the problem instead of only funding NGOs to do the work.

In order for prevention to occur, governments need to realize that their practices (not just in the legal and policy-making realm) are in some ways complicit in the trafficking industry. Once this realization is made and admitted, and the governments really commit to preventing trafficking, perhaps the problem could be curbed. Each nation, if looking seriously to prevent trafficking can look at multiple ways to address the issue.

If for example, the government of a nation involved in the trafficking industry, which could be any on the globe, were to commit to prevent trafficking, they would have to investigate their business practices, social systems, religious systems, and policies. Root causes of supply and demand would also need to be explored and campaigns to change thinking or desire to make money at any cost would be necessary. How does this happen?

Christ-followers can make a commitment to run their businesses in financially and socially-responsible ways to show others that you can make a profit without exploiting people. They can also commit to having a voice for those without one with multi-national corporations whose business practices around the globe sometimes perpetuate the cycle of poverty. They can call for just wages that will allow workers to leave their state of poverty. They can campaign on the value of human life, whether or not the people being discussed look and act differently.

They can also help Christ-followers around the world to understand what they can or cannot do in those situations. They can support in prayer, training, learning from each other rather than working in a vacuum—which is part of the reason for this blog.

We hope to identify some key issues and recommend ways for Christ-followers to act, whether they are combating or preventing trafficking.

Resources - week 3

2005-10-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Berkeley report on treating victims of trafficking

UNICEF article on needs to combat trafficking - not enough is known about trafficking's root causes, not enough consistency in raising awareness campaigns, lack of re-integration programs among those who are willing to go home, calls for specific responses to the situation

UN article about focusing on the demand side of trafficking rather than solely the supply side, outlines needs and goals of anti-trafficking commission, does not however, say how those things can happen...acknowledging commitment to changing ways societies look at women and children

What is America doing to fight trafficking? It is doing some things (working with NGOs) but has not yet looked at how it is complicit in the trafficking industry...

Article that shows that changing mindsets about value of women on the list of goals for UN sponsored organization, UNFPA

New bill to address root causes of trafficking

Organization for justice...fighting for more funds to be allocated to anti-trafficking

Helpful in seeing how they set up their web page and what they covered - trafficking in nepal

US - Mexican context

Myanmar case study

Week 2 - Analysis

2005-10-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

Although there has clearly been a move toward understanding the issues surrounding human trafficking in the last decade, there is still much to discover and learn before we, as Christ-followers, can adequately attempt to tackle the problem.

First it is necessary to understand the link between trafficking and larger issues, including but not limited to economics. It is not simply a matter of the rights of individuals and what each society considers right and wrong, although it perhaps should be. There are much deeper and widespread issues to engage. Researchers are now beginning to look at the structural systems of nations that have an impact on human trafficking to help identify the salient issues and how those issues can potentially be addressed.

What is perhaps most difficult about the problem is that it is different in each context and can include everything from forced migration for manual labor to sexual exploitation in the pornography and prostitution industries. The financial gain to a nation’s economy from these industries can be difficult to ignore for those faced with large-scale poverty. And the cooperation of governments can change overnight depending on who is in power at the moment.

Although the widespread nature of the problem is also now being recognized on a larger scale—to the extent that even magazines like GQ are researching this issue—there is still not enough awareness or attention given to the subject. Many believe the problem exists “out there” rather than here, to quote my team member Nate Risdon.

While many recognize that economics plays an integral role in the perpetuation of the trafficking industry, there are few solutions available because the issues are numerous and deeply embedded in our global history and business practices. It is not simply enough to say a nation must make strides to combat human trafficking, but the reasons for its perpetuation (like unfair business practices on the parts of multi-national corporations) must be carefully addressed.

Among linked issues that must be explored are: recent economic loss in global markets, corruption in national administrations, not enough information available about traffickers, technology used by traffickers to make them difficult to detect, unwillingness in administrations to recognize the problem, varied cultural mores, not enough of a priority given to combating the problem among governments, organized crime syndicates, “greater” issues to deal with in many nations, varied (and sometimes conflicting) political agendas of nations trying to deal with the problem, few nations aggressively targeted for increased attention to the problem, the need for greater awareness and publicity, and the list goes on.

Where do Christ-followers begin? They can begin by understanding the issues and caring enough to get involved somehow. That is what we hope to do: help Christ-followers understand the issues and devise practical ways to help curb the problem.

A few resources - week 2

2005-10-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a few resources on the topic of human trafficking...

1. International Justice Mission - an organization that (among other things) seeks to free those enslaved in bonded slavery or prostitution...news coverage that was done re: one of their rescue operations
http://www.ijm.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=238&srcid=178

2. An article about the larger issues surrounding trafficking including economics--on the United Nations University site
http://www.unu.edu/p&g/humanrights/human-trafficking.html

3. An article written in Bangkok regarding the present economic conditions that impact human trafficking
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2001_Jan_15/ai_70385916

4. The issues among OSCE states
http://www.osce.org/item/145.html

5. Resource on forced migration
http://www.forcedmigration.org/guides/fmo011/fmo011-1.htm

6. Forum on Human Trafficking - the Polaris Project
http://xsorbit27.com/users5/polarisproject/index.php

7. Analysis of issues in Cambodia - on Fordham University site
http://www.fordham.edu/economics/vinod/cie/cambodia.htm

8. Asian Economic News article on trafficking
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2000_Nov_20/ai_67542352

9. US response to human trafficking
http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/0603/ijge/ijge0603.htm

10. 2005 TIP (Trafficking in Persons) Report
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/

Beginning

2005-10-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

This past school year, I've begun to consider the various ways Christ-followers should respond to the tough issues that face us in the world, whether they are close to us or seemingly far away. I left full-time work to embrace full-time study again, hopefully to begin thinking in new ways, acting in new ways, and using my talents and skills in new ways--for the kingdom of God to be realized through me in some small way.
So I begin another year of reflection...