Rights, Corruption, and Human Trafficking: A Fuzzy Set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis

• In Event: 339 - Section on Comparative-Historical Sociology Paper Session. Can Comparative Historical Sociology Save the World? (4) Modern Slavery

Abstract

Over 27 million people are trafficked across the world. This shocking number has prompted leaders of international government organizations to encourage national governments to reach agreements to battle traffickers and protect victims. Despite agreeing to these international treaties, experts and advocates despair that we continue to fail trafficking victims. They decry failures of governments to protect victims, prosecute traffickers, and establish mechanisms to prevent trafficking. The present study employs an innovative methodological approach, Fuzzy Set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), to examine reasons for governments’ failures, and successes, in pursuing anti-trafficking efforts. Previous research finds that public corruption is a strong explanation of these failures. A key advantage of fsQCA is its ability to identify configurations of causal conditions as well as distinct explanations for the successes and failures in battling human trafficking. The present study finds the combination of public corruption with weak political rights is a powerful explanation of weak anti-trafficking efforts. In contrast, citizens and residents have strong rights and freedoms where governments mount successful anti-trafficking efforts. The present study suggests that leaders of international organizations should focus their efforts not only reducing public corruption, but enhancing rights. Future research will incorporate statistical analyses as well as expand this study’s focus factors scholars find essential to advancing human rights.

Authors

• Brian Kelly Polk, Case Western Reserve University

• Brian Gran, Case Western Reserve University

• Robin Shura, Hiram College