Not all human trafficking is created equal: Transnational human trafficking in the UK and Serbian news media texts-narratological and media studies approaches

Abstract

This chapter investigates the representation of transnational human trafficking in news texts in English and Serbian (published between 2000-2016 and 2003-2016 respectively) by adopting contemporary narrative and media theories. The identified narrative strategies and narrative elements (pertaining to the fabula, story, and text) not only shape the news texts, but also function as a semiotic code through which reality is itself constructed. In both sets of news texts, narratives as forms of representation prioritize particular aspects of human trafficking (e.g., use of official sources), while neglecting and/or completely excluding others (e.g., roots of human trafficking). The chapter draws attention to the logic behind such mechanisms that transform information into meaningful structures and thus influence the shaping of public perception and responses to this crime.