Latest Book

Elliott, S. and Smith, M. (eds.) (2026) Disrupting Anti-Trafficking Norms: Survivors, Practitioners and the Future of Global Interventions. Bristol: Bristol University Press.

This timely and critical volume asks why anti-trafficking interventions by governments, NGOs and international bodies so often fail. Bringing together the voices of survivors, activists, practitioners and researchers, it merges lived experience with critical scholarship to confront the deep-rooted structural issues that fuel human trafficking, from poverty and racism to patriarchy and neoliberalism. The collection poses transformative ideas to reshape global anti-trafficking responses toward real, lasting justice and change.

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Featured Reviews

‘A critical intervention that carefully documents the failures of anti-trafficking while calling for a serious rethink of strategies to combat exploitation and violence in these times of international conflict and chaos.’

— Kamala Kempadoo, York University, Canada

‘Insightful and transformative, this book examines the true root causes of trafficking, critiques systemic injustices, and deepens our understanding of what meaningful change requires.’

— Jose Lewis Alfaro, Lived Experience Expert and Consultant

‘Anti-trafficking is at a crossroads. The problems with current models are well known, but the pathways to something better remain murky and uncertain. With this important volume, Sarah Elliott, Megan Denise Smith and a cast of expert contributors take up the essential challenge of mapping out practical alternatives and more effective starting points.’

— Joel Quirk, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

‘A timely collation of divergent perspectives on trafficking and migration: a book that captures the chaos that ensues when widely differing worldviews collide – from critiques of liberal capitalism to concerns over the mission creep from criminal to social justice, interspersed with survivor testimonies and warnings about the risks of the AI-driven surveillance state. Uncomfortable reading at times, the book lays bare the fundamental disagreements shaping counter-trafficking discourse at a moment of profound global change and sets the stage for what happens next.’

— Jonathan Martens, International Consultant and Practitioner

‘A timely and deeply necessary contribution to the anti-trafficking field. Disrupting Anti-Trafficking Norms challenges long-standing assumptions and calls for more ethical, survivor-centred responses grounded in accountability and structural change. The volume powerfully highlights the importance of meaningful survivor engagement, not as tokenistic participation, but as intellectual and policy leadership. Essential reading for anyone committed to effective and rights-based anti-trafficking responses.’

— Tatiana Kotlyarenko, Independent Human Rights and Anti-Trafficking Expert

'With contributions from academics, practitioners and people with lived experience, this book provides important reflections of the current state and future directions of anti-trafficking.'

— Borislav Gerasimov, Editor of the Anti-Trafficking Review

'This insightful book challenges conventional thinking in the anti-trafficking field and highlights the essential role of survivor leadership in driving meaningful and lasting change.'

— Abdus Salam, Independent Lived-Experience Consultant