This week, we’re joined by anthropologist and author Jason De León to discuss his latest book, Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling. We explore the ethical complexities of ethnography, the distinctions between human smuggling and trafficking, and Jason’s decision to place himself as a character in his work. Jason also shares how his experiences at the U.S.-Mexico border have shaped his approach to storytelling and what he believes could help address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The Stacks Book Club pick for October is The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. We will discuss the book on October 30th with Franklin Leonard returning as our guest.

You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:

https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/10/16/ep-341-jason-de-leon

Connect with Jason: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Subscribe

SUPPORT THE STACKS

Join The Stacks Pack on Patreon

To support The Stacks and find out more from this week’s sponsors, click here.

Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.