ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of conducing this research, and the methodological decisions which supported its design. The aim and objectives of this study suggested specific methodological choices in order to research the complex experiences, constraints, and motivations involved in shaping life paths that have included human trafficking. Anthropological tradition, as well as trafficking literature which has explored these links in other contexts, suggests that ethnographic approaches are valid and fruitful methods for research that is grounded in integrated local contexts and understandings, and based on participants’ own accounts of their experiences. The design of the study has been based on the need for close-level accounts and understanding based on immersive experiences. I identify the question at the heart of this book, which is how human trafficking relates to wider social processes. This question suggests inquiry into the relationships between individuals and society, the role of agency, and the place of vulnerability and violence within society. I argue that anthropological analysis can contribute to an understanding of human trafficking within wider discussions of suffering, vulnerability, agency, and social inequality through a framework based on structural violence.
