The Dark Side of Globalization

Along with increased cross-border trade and transnational migration, globalization has also contributed to the internationalization of social woes such as forced prostitution. In this article, UCLA professor Richard Gunde reviews key sessions from a recent forum on transborder crime in Southeastern Europe. Sociology professor Gail Kligman attributes the region’s high incidence of sex trafficking to a confluence of economic difficulties, porous borders, and organized crime. Women’s Studies professor Donna Hughes, meanwhile, invokes the logic of supply and demand in her examination of transborder prostitution. Hungarian military general Ferenc Banfi acknowledges successes in combating human trafficking, but urges more proactive, comprehensive government action to deter future crime. In a separate discussion, reporter David Binder traces the history and impact of organized crime in the Balkans. And finally, anthropologist Nancy Scheper-Hughes identifies race, class, and gender issues surrounding organ trafficking. – YaleGlobal