An IASH Work-in-Progress seminar, delivered by Dr Emily Clifford (GENDER.ED Postdoctoral Fellow, 2026)
Protect The (M)Other: Negotiating Parenthood after Trafficking in Britain.
Parenthood and human trafficking are experiences through which political identity is disrupted and (re)made. And yet, little is known about how the aftermath of human trafficking influences parents’ encounters with the nation-state. In my project, I ask how these encounters shape both individual meaning-making and constructions of national identity. In this talk, I will present the early stages of this research, in particular my initial reflections from a participatory theatre workshop recently held with mothers who have exited human trafficking in Britain. This workshop was designed in collaboration with Ella’s, a support organisation and safehouse provider, and Dr Effie Makepeace, a theatre practitioner and researcher, to explore participants’ impressions of belonging, identity, and future-making. I will also discuss how this research has helped me to critically evaluate dominant representations of ‘modern slavery’ and ‘Britishness’, introducing my book project on the suspended future of the ‘modern slave’.
Meeting ID: 384 971 962 716 1
Passcode: nV6Rg79e