Screening Trafficking (PDF)

This book examines film and media representations of the social, political, and economic issue of human trafficking, one of the most dramatic challenges of today's globalized world. Productively combining field work at NGOs in South Eastern Europe, social science data discussion, and analysis of Western and East European anti-trafficking film and media and their reception in the United States and in the Balkans, Hashamova uncovers tension between the global flow of trafficking images and their local comprehension. The detailed critical analysis of documentaries, feature films, video clips, and NGOs' media materials and their varied spectators' responses explores the flaws of these products and the ideological structures that define them and their audiences. Acknowledging the uneven quality and potential impact of all films and media products, the book, guided by trauma theory, concludes with analysis of their effectiveness and ability to shock the viewer and create a citizen who is ready to take action against trafficking. The book seeks to explain why, despite the attention to the problem, communities continue to grapple with indifference, denial, and turning a blind eye to the existence of trafficking. Screening Trafficking: Prudent and Perilous offers fresh insights to readers interested in human trafficking and its representations as well as policymakers who are invested in well-informed decisions.