New Slavery

by Kevin Bales

Published 26 July 2005

A shocking account of how slavery continues to afflict millions around the world today-from children in the carpet trade in Asia, to immigrants forced into prostitution in Europe, to domestic workers in the United States and other Western countries.

New Slavery: A Reference Handbook is as scholarly as it is shocking-a gripping account of modern slavery, from Pakistan to Paris, Nepal to New York. From bonded laborers in India and prostitutes in Thailand to illegal domestic workers in Kuwait, Tokyo, and London, this book surveys the grim and violent world of contemporary forced labor, human trafficking, and slavery.

More commonly associated with the horrors of 19th-century cotton plantations or Nazi concentration camps, slave labor remains alive and well. Despite antislavery laws in almost every country, slavery today is booming- fueled by poverty, war, organized crime, and globalization. This book is both a serious study and an essential guide for policy makers, human rights lawyers, labor activists, and all those concerned with the ongoing fight against this timeless evil.


Firsthand accounts from freed slaves and antislavery activists, with extracts from key UN documents on slavery

Chronology covering slavery from the dawn of civilization to the modern era, focusing especially on slavery over the last 50 years