Human trafficking, human smuggling, and illicit migration are some of the most politically volatile and pressing issues in the present day. They are also the subject of a growing amount of sociological, criminological, and historical research. This combined conference and workshop aims to bring together the growing number of scholars who are currently working on the histories of trafficking, smuggling, and illicit and sexual migration from all regions in the modern period. In particular, it aims to critically engage with the concept of sexual trafficking in the past by exploring the way in which it was entangled with labour and with migration more broadly. Papers need not be limited, therefore, to the subject of trafficking: we encourage submissions from those working on smuggling and illicit migration as well, though we are especially interested in work from a gendered perspective.Part of the conference will take the form of a workshop, in which delegates will be given space in which to discuss common themes and problems in their work. Although the conference is primarily for historians, a roundtable plenary, open to the public, policy makers, and organizations, will focus on what history can add to present-day debates about sex trafficking and related migration policy.
Proposals for papers and expressions of interest in the workshop are invited from scholars at all stages of their careers. Proposals for papers of 300–500 words should be sent to traffickinghistoryconference@gmail.com by October 1, 2014. Applicants should indicate whether they are also interested in participating in the workshop. Those wishing to be considered only for a workshop place should send a 150–200 word description of their research.For more details, see the full call for papers.