There have been a lot of articles lately that do an excellent job of describing what is wrong with adoption as it is practiced today. I’m sure I’ll miss some but here is a list of those I have encountered recently. Many of these concern international adoption, but the lessons learned could be equally applied to domestic adoption. With so many articles like this, I wonder if we are seeing a change in the perception of adoption as 100% warm happy fuzzy rainbows. I hope so because I, for one, would welcome some fresh perspectives on the subject.
- Transnational Adoption and the “Financialization of Everything”
- EDITORIAL International Adoption and the Fight for Human Rights
- Liberia: What happens to the Child When Adoption Fails?
- Holt International’s price for children
- Another country, not my own
One overseas adoptee explains: Parents’ embrace of the ”home” culture can have its costs - TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION Some Visions I Have Seen…
- THE PRICE WE ALL PAY Human Trafficking in International Adoption
- Netherlands: Money plays too big a role in adoption
Excellent! Thank you!
Nice list! I’m also beginning to compile a list.
My personal fave out of all the excellent articles you cited was the woman who went overboard on the culture train. I personally believe that “culture” can only be transmitted by people of that culture. It is not a let’s-do-this-neat-stuff experience but a side-by-side experience where you just soak it up. The person who adopts internationally has to admit that he/she/they can’t really provide that.
Osolomama–I think you mean the article by Mei-Ling Hopgood? I just finished her memoir “Lucky Girl” and it touches on some of the same issues.
Triona – check this out about the “costs of adoption” – from http://christianadoption.blogspot.com go to Dec. 1, 2008…
Updated Adoption Situations from our CAC Site!
1.) *NEW* Hisp Unk Gender, April, $25-$30K
2.) *NEW* Caucasian/African-American Unk Gender, March, $25-$30K
3.) *NEW* African-American Girl, 2/14/09, $16K
4.) *NEW* African-American Girl, Feb ’09, $16K
5.) Caucasian/Hispanic Unk Gender (cocaine exp first two months), 11/25/08, $30K
6.) African-American/Caucasian Boy, 12/29/08, $20K
7.) African-American Girl, 1/12/09, $16K
8.) African-American Unk Gender, Feb ’09, $15-$20K
9.) African-American Boy, Feb ’09, $15-$20K
10.)African-American Unk Gender, $15-$20K
11.) Caucasian Unk Gender, March, $30-$35K
12.)African-American Twins (premature – still in hospital – born 11/15/08) Family needs to be from Utah or be willing to be in Utah for months. Fees are $20K with consideration for the outcome of children.
13.) African-American Boy, 1/20/09, $16K
14.) African-American Unk Gender, 1/12/09, $20K
15.) African-American Boy, 1/14/09, $16K
16.) African-American Unk Gender, 1/27/09, $20K
Yes, that’s the one. Boy, Triona–you really keep up with the adoption reading! How did you like Kay Johnson’s book?
d28bob–That’s just sick. It reminds me of shopping for computer parts (“2GB for only $100, act now”!). Except this is for CHILDREN. Ugh!
osolomama–Yes, I finished Wanting A Daughter, Needing A Son. I thought it was very good and gave me a much better insight into international adoption. It’s far more complicated than I thought. I also recently finished Jane Jeong Trenka’s memoir “The Language Of Blood” which is one of the most powerful I have ever read.
If anyone has adoption book recommendations, let me know. I’m compiling a list of those, too.