Date of Graduation

Spring 2017

Degree

Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies

Department

Defense and Strategic Studies

Committee Chair

Kerry Kartchner

Abstract

Transnational security is an emerging sub-field within the broader scope of international relations. Human trafficking is a wide-spread but rarely emphasized threat to global security with powerful transnational dimensions. This type of crime threatens security at all levels of society. At the individual level, the victims of trafficking are abused, tortured, and experience incredible trauma. The traffickers themselves exploit weaknesses at the state level, either leveraging lack of political will or corrupt officials into their schemes to make more money, or by circumventing lax laws entirely. States have serious power to affect change at this level, particularly in the realm of prosecution. Internationally, the global community has a responsibility to ensure the rights of all human kind are not abused and taken away. As the academic community develops more rigorous approaches to the concept of transnational security, it will need to address the nature of human trafficking at the human, state, and international systemic levels.

Keywords

human trafficking, slavery, transnational crime, international relations, global security issues, forced servitude

Subject Categories

Defense and Security Studies

Copyright

© Cynthia Rhiannon Knight

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