Human Trafficking and Exploitation in Southeast Asia: Applying AsianCrit to Context, Policy, and Educational Possibilities

The intersections of global to local neoliberal policies, settler colonialism, and forced displacement are complex. Vestiges of imperialism, these factors are prevalent within Southeast Asia (SEA) and contribute to widespread commercial exploitation and human trafficking within the region. As research demonstrates, the legacy of colonial rule and more recent neocolonial foreign policies provide a roadmap for understanding the prevalence of human trafficking within SEA. Following a brief introduction, we outline key tenets of AsianCrit theory as articulated within the field of education (Iftikar and Museus, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 31:935–949, 2018). This framework guides our review of SEA history, context, issue-specific policies, and recommendations for increasing educational opportunities among SEA women and girls. Second, we present an overview of the historical, political, and economic context of specific SEA nations, offering background information on factors driving regional commercial exploitation and related trafficking abuses. We also examine the US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Reports (2020, 2022). Finally, we develop a set of educational policy and practice recommendations to address and prevent those factors that drive regional and nation-specific human trafficking. These recommendations include improving educational access, opportunities, and resources for women and girls who are either economic migrants or refugees and, thus, potential victims of human trafficking.