By Asha Jeffers

Human trafficking has generated intense global concern, with stories of sex slavery and images of women forced into prostitution so persuasive that states have raced to respond ahead of empirical data and clear definitions of the crime. In Trafficking Rhetoric, Annie Hill analyzes the entanglement of state veneration and state violence by tracking how the United Kingdom points to the alleged crimes of others in order to celebrate itself and conceal its own aggression. Hill compares the UK’s acclaimed rescue approach to human trafficking with its hostile approach to migration, arguing that they are two sides of the same coin—one that relies on rhetorical constructions of “trafficked women” and “illegal migrants” to materialize the UK as an Anglo-white space.Drawing from official estimates, policy papers, NGO reports, news stories, and awareness campaigns and situating them in the broader EU context, Hill accounts for why the UK’s anti-trafficking agenda emerged with such rhetorical force in the early twenty-first century. Trafficking Rhetoric reframes controversies over labor, citizenship, and migration while challenging the continued traction of race-baiting and gender bias in determining who has the right to live, work, and belong in the nation.

Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 2025.

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By Constance Briscoe

"Ugly" by Constance Briscoe is a powerful memoir that delves into the author's harrowing journey through childhood abuse, discrimination, and resilience. Briscoe vividly recounts her turbulent upbringing in a broken home, navigating racism and neglect with unwavering determination. Through her raw and unflinching storytelling, she sheds light on the insidious impact of trauma and the enduring strength of the human spirit. "Ugly" is a testament to the triumph of hope over adversity, offering a poignant and courageous exploration of one woman's quest for healing and self-acceptance.

GB. Hodder and Stoughton. 2006. 443p.

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By Veronica Corrie

In "BLACK AND BLUE: A MEMOIR OF RACISM AND RESILIENCE," the author bravely shares their personal journey through the complexities of racism and the unwavering resilience that carried them through. This poignant memoir delves into the stark realities of discrimination, prejudice, and systemic challenges faced by individuals of color, offering a raw and unfiltered account of the author's experiences.

Through candid storytelling and introspection, the author sheds light on the profound impact of racism on their life, while also highlighting moments of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. "BLACK AND BLUE" serves as a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and the quest for equality and justice in a world marred by intolerance.

This compelling memoir is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the insidious nature of racism and the remarkable resilience of individuals who dare to confront it head-on.

Scribe Publications Pty Limited, Mar 30, 2021, 256 pages

By Stephan Conermann, Claudia Rauhut, Ulrike Schmieder and Michael Zeuske

In the recent cultural heritage boom, community-based and national identity projects are intertwined with interest in cultural tourism and sites of the memory of enslavement. Questions of historical guilt and present responsibility have become a source of social conflict, particularly in multicultural societies with an enslaving past. This became apparent in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, when statues of enslavers and colonizers were toppled, controversial debates about streets and places named after them re-ignited, and the European Union apologized for slavery after the racist murder of George Floyd. Related debates focus on museums, on artworks acquired unjustly in societies under colonial rule, the question of whether and how museums should narrate the hidden past of enslavement and colonialism, including their own colonial origins with respect to narratives about presumed European supremacy, and the need to establish new monuments for the enslaved, their resistance, and abolitionists of African descent.

Berlin/Boston:DeGruyter, 2024, 352p.