Combatting Modern Slavery

Genevieve LeBaron is Professor of Politics and Co-Director of Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) at the University of Sheffield.

• 1 Who Does Labor Governance Work For? 2 Labor Exploitation in Global Supply Chains 3 Corporate Power and the State 4 The Recruitment Industry 5 The Enforcement Industry 6 Protecting 21st Century Workers

“‘LeBaron's book gives renewed focus to what business actors, civil society, and government need to do to in order to combat modern slavery. It is a highly recommended read for all those involved in the challenges of eradicating slavery.”Urmila Bhoola, Former UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery“Combating Modern Slavery is a bold, deeply-empirical, even heroic work of moral social science by a brilliant and intrepid scholar. With original field work and a deep dive into the nature of supply chains, global labor governance regimes, audit methods practiced by actual companies, and the worst elements of labor exploitation among the most endangered people, this book is a sobering but moving explanation of the politics and the economics of the modern slavery crisis... In a world struck numb by a pandemic, this book warns us of what millions of the most vulnerable of laborers already face every day.”David W. Blight, Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery and Abolition, Yale University, and author of the Pulitzer prize-winning Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom“We don’t need another hero, argues Genevieve LeBaron. Companies have long promised to sell ethically made products, but they have covered up and misdiagnosed forced labor. Combatting Modern Slavery lays out a readable critique and promising way forward.”Tim Bartley, Washington University in St Louis“A scorching critique of corporate-led efforts to address forced labor and trafficking that shines a spotlight on more promising, worker-driven initiatives for addressing exploitation in the global economy.”Janie Chuang, American University“An important and original analysis of ‘modern slavery’ and forced labour that does not shy away from asking difficult questions.”Samantha Currie, University of Liverpool“A lucid and provocative critique of the contemporary global labor governance regime.”American Journal of Sociology