Thesis (Ph.D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2010 / Title from PDF (viewed on 01 October 2009) Department of Sociology Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

Project (B.S.W.)--James Madison University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Intercountry adoption (ICA) is growing in controversy as it grows in popularity. While heart-warming stories of families with babies from abroad dominate the media coverage on this subject, this represents only a small segment of the entire situation. Using Korea and China as case examples, this thesis extensively reviews and analyzes policy and the cultural, social, economic and political layers of the ICA mechanism from a political-economy perspective and argues that children are treated as commodities in both supplying and receiving countries. ICA is used by governments to solve internal social problems while promoting international relations. The thesis concludes that only a small number of children and parents actually benefit from ICA and the majority of persons involved--unadopted children in both countries, birth parents and some adoptive applicants--do not gain from ICA and may actually experience suffering as a result of it.

No description available.

This thesis examines the motivations for states to become involved in intercountry adoption. This includes both states that send children in intercountry adoption and states that receive children. The thesis explores the dynamic cycle of events that lead states to intercountry adoption participation. It then explores the ramifications of those for the application and interpretation of the ‘best interests of the child’ standard. This thesis includes empirical work through data gathered by interviews and analysed by constructivist grounded theory methodology. It also includes a comparative analysis of seven different states involved in intercountry adoption. The comparative analysis is again undertaken with the use of constructivist grounded theory methodology. The thesis presents a theory that explains state motivation to engage in intercountry adoption and the effects that these have on the normative meaning that is given to the ‘best interests of the child’ legal standard when used in intercountry adoption. This thesis makes an original contribution of knowledge by examining the motivation of states to enter into intercountry adoption and providing a theory that traces the pathways of how states become involved. It makes further original contributions to knowledge by examining how these motivations impact the normative meaning given to the standard in domestic, international and transnational settings. Yet another original contribution to knowledge is in providing a theory and network map of the normative meanings that are ascribed to the standard in an intercountry adoption setting.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1999. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 241-251).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Bahira Sherif-Trask, Individual & Family Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University of Pennsylvania. / Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Intercountry adoption, where children are born in one country and adopted by families in another country, has become an increasing global phenomenon (Scherman & Harré, 2004). As indicated by a review of the literature, the research in relation to intercountry adoptees provides contradictory findings in almost every area. However, since there is some evidence to suggest that a proportion of intercountry adoptees are at greater risk of developing mental health difficulties (Van Ijzendoorn & Juffer, 2006) further research, particularly in the UK, is required. As Anjudo (1988) posits, parents are their children‟s major reference group, and this research is therefore aimed at exploring the experience of parenting an intercountry adoptee. A qualitative approach, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 1996) was chosen as the most suitable methodology. This approach aims to explore in detail how participants are making sense of their world, and the meanings that experiences hold for them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants who had accessed or were accessing support from a specialist Adoption and Fostering team. The analysis of the transcribed verbatim accounts yielded four super-ordinate themes; „the importance of resolve and tenacity‟, „blood versus water‟, „weathering the storm of parenthood‟ and „the complexity of cultivating a heritage‟. The results were consistent with some of the existing theoretical, research and clinical literature. Additionally they also provided some new areas for consideration such as the emotional difficulties in negotiating the process of intercountry adoption. Additionally, areas for future research were proposed. Due to the small sample size, implications and recommendations are considered tentatively and include (1) prospective intercountry adoptive parents would benefit from the provision of pre and post-adoption supportive groups, (2) intercountry adoptive families would benefit from greater availability of multi-disciplinary specialist teams to address their needs, (3) there is a role for cultural consultants to aid both adoptive parents and professionals in their work with intercountry adoptive families. Since the number of children internationally who need new families continues to increase it is important to continue to find improved ways to support intercountry adoptive families.