School of Law Hosts Roundtable for Human Trafficking Scholars

University Relations

Human Trafficking Scholars, top row from left: Annie Smith, Ana Bridges and Rodica Lisnic; bottom row: Lauren Sabon, Christopher Shields and Molly Smith.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas School of Law brought together scholars from multiple disciplines on Oct. 9 in a virtual roundtable to discuss their work in the human trafficking field.

The scholars included Annie Smith, the director of the Human Trafficking Clinic and an associate professor in the School of Law; Ana Bridges, a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences; Rodica Lisnic, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Criminology; Lauren Sabon, a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology; and Christopher Shields, a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology.

"It was wonderful to engage with scholars from across campus who are doing important work on human trafficking and approaching the problem from their various perspectives," Smith said. "I think we all learned from the experience and also felt affirmed by connecting around common issues that arise related to this important subject."

The scholars, who all research or write about human trafficking, discussed their work in the field, including implications for courses, advocacy and scholarship. The event also focused on past projects, current or planned work and Arkansas-specific issues related to the subject.

"What struck me most in our meeting is how poorly understood, understudied and underestimated human trafficking and labor trafficking can be," Bridges said.

The purpose of the event was to bring together academics from differing fields, and to increase interdisciplinary exploration of and the effectiveness of responses to human trafficking at the University of Arkansas and beyond.

"Cross-disciplinary collaboration is important because we use different perspectives to look at the same problem from multiple angles," Lisnic said. "This can give us a more complete picture of the issue at hand, and therefore, can lead to innovative solutions."

The group intends to continue its interdisciplinary partnership into the future with the addition of Molly Smith, an assistant professor in criminal justice at the University of Arkansas Little Rock.

"We all found the roundtable so productive that we agreed to meet again in January to continue our collaboration," Smith said.