Profits trump modern slavery in textiles

The repercussions of Laura Murphy’s research into alleged forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims in China have reached far beyond university corridors — impacting global apparel brands, national policies and the ethical foundations of the fashion industry itself.​​

But it has also turned out to have consequences for academic freedom in the UK after China retaliated with an alleged campaign of intimidation against the Beijing-based student recruitment team of her employers at Sheffield Hallam University.