Protecting Foreign Victims of Trafficking in Iceland: An Interpretive Analysis of Policy Efforts

Author

Hlin Saethorsdottir, University at Albany, State University of New YorkFollow

Date of Award

Fall 2024

Language

English

Embargo Period

12-27-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

School of Social Welfare

Program

Social Welfare

First Advisor

Loretta Pyles

Committee Members

Loretta Pyles, Lynn Warner, Patricia Strach

Keywords

Trafficking in person, policy analysis, social work, protection, human rights

Subject Categories

Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation | Social Justice | Social Policy | Social Work

Abstract

Social justice and human rights are fundamental principles of social work. Today’s globalized world requires social workers to expand their local perspectives and to be alert to the negative sides of globalization, such as trafficking in person (TIP), which affects all countries around the world. TIP is a severe form of exploitation and a grave human rights violation (Jones et al., 2007). Iceland has been categorized as a transit and destination country for foreign victims who are mainly trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation (U.S. Department of State, 2016b).

Although much has been written on TIP, some scholars have pointed out that the empirical foundation is often lacking (Yea, 2017). This is especially true for Iceland, where TIP is an understudied field. Without robust data, there is a real risk that policy solutions will be devised that do not mirror realities on the ground, resulting in misdirected efforts with limited positive impact (Goodey, 2011). Icelandic authorities have ratified the leading international and regional treaties against trafficking and adopted three anti-trafficking action plans. However, findings from international monitoring reports suggest that Iceland has been more effective in amending legislation to allow for ratification of international anti-trafficking treaties rather than putting policy into practice (GRETA, 2019; U.S. Department of State, 2019).

This dissertation explores the challenges of delivering the goals of protection for foreign victims of TIP in Iceland. To inform the gap between policy and practice, this study examined the anti-trafficking policy process in Iceland, i.e., the framing of TIP, the nature of policy choices, the implementation of policy goals, and the outcome for victims. This was achieved by obtaining the views and experiences of professionals in the anti-trafficking field and by reviewing international and Icelandic documents.

As TIP is a multidimensional social problem requiring a multi-disciplinary approach, I used a social constructionist (SC) framework inspired by concepts from the capabilities approach (CA) to examine the anti-trafficking policy process. The following research questions were used to obtain an understanding of efforts to protect foreign victims of trafficking in Iceland: 1) What challenges do professionals experience in the anti-trafficking field? 2) What are the structural constraints foreign victims of trafficking face in Iceland? and 3) What are the potential enabling social conversion factors for victims of TIP in Iceland?

The data analysis revealed three main themes that describe the anti-trafficking policy process in Iceland: 1) TIP as a Foreign Social Problem, 2) Anti-trafficking Policy as Window Dressing, and 3) Victims are Not Converting Resources to Functionings. Based on the findings, Iceland has been more effective at amending legislation and adopting NAPs to meet international standards and improve ratings. It appears Iceland’s anti-trafficking efforts have served more purpose for nation branding than actually improving the living conditions for victims of TIP in Iceland.

License

This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.

Recommended Citation

Saethorsdottir, Hlin, "Protecting Foreign Victims of Trafficking in Iceland: An Interpretive Analysis of Policy Efforts" (2024). Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present). 96.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/etd/96