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Born in China

Born in China AbstractInternational adoption has been presented in the literature almost exclusively from a dominant western perspective with little consideration for that of the sending countries. This study seeks to capture Chinese perceptions of international adoption. The inextricable relationship between China's family planning policies and the placing of orphans in the diaspora for adoption led to a sample which included government officials (N = 12), welfare institution administrators (currently in China, the official term for an orphanage is “welfare institution”) (N = 15), and a non-specific adult population (N = 180). Findings indicated that overall participants viewed international adoption as providing positive opportunities for abandoned children, with government and welfare institution personnel viewing it as an appropriate response to an overburdened system. They also pointed to the government's active role in post-placement monitoring to be integral to the success of China's international adoptions. Concerns for the children's loss of culture and international adoption as being a source of national embarrassment were expressed within the general population, however, it is suggested that this perception may be mediated by personal exposure to adoption. This study is significant in its unique attempt to capture a non-western perspective of a phenomenon which profoundly impacts Chinese families and children. It also brings to light the need for further inquiry which can capture the impact and implications of this borderless child welfare practice for Chinese. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Adoption Quarterly Taylor & Francis

Born in China

Luo, Nili; Bergquist, Kathleen Ja Sook
Adoption Quarterly , Volume 8 (1): 19 – Jul 1, 2004
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Born in China

Abstract

AbstractInternational adoption has been presented in the literature almost exclusively from a dominant western perspective with little consideration for that of the sending countries. This study seeks to capture Chinese perceptions of international adoption. The inextricable relationship between China's family planning policies and the placing of orphans in the diaspora for adoption led to a sample which included government officials (N = 12), welfare institution administrators...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright Taylor & Francis
ISSN
1544-452X
eISSN
1092-6755
DOI
10.1300/J145v08n01_02
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractInternational adoption has been presented in the literature almost exclusively from a dominant western perspective with little consideration for that of the sending countries. This study seeks to capture Chinese perceptions of international adoption. The inextricable relationship between China's family planning policies and the placing of orphans in the diaspora for adoption led to a sample which included government officials (N = 12), welfare institution administrators (currently in China, the official term for an orphanage is “welfare institution”) (N = 15), and a non-specific adult population (N = 180). Findings indicated that overall participants viewed international adoption as providing positive opportunities for abandoned children, with government and welfare institution personnel viewing it as an appropriate response to an overburdened system. They also pointed to the government's active role in post-placement monitoring to be integral to the success of China's international adoptions. Concerns for the children's loss of culture and international adoption as being a source of national embarrassment were expressed within the general population, however, it is suggested that this perception may be mediated by personal exposure to adoption. This study is significant in its unique attempt to capture a non-western perspective of a phenomenon which profoundly impacts Chinese families and children. It also brings to light the need for further inquiry which can capture the impact and implications of this borderless child welfare practice for Chinese.

Journal

Adoption Quarterly – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jul 1, 2004

Keywords: Adoption; China; birth country; international

References

  • Chinese adoptees in Britain: A twenty year follow-up of adjustment and social identity
  • Ethnographic research and the problem of data reduction
  • Effects of institutions and policies on rural population growth with application to China
  • Chinese orphanages: Saving China's abandoned girls
  • Politics of international and domestic adoption in China
  • Adoption and abandonment in China
  • Chinese adoption: Practices and challenges
  • Why Americans adopt Chinese female infants