Department of Anthropology Ph.D. Student Grace Shu Gerloff published an op-ed in the special issue of the Alliance for the Study of Adoption and Culture journal, Adoption and Culture. The op-ed, titled, “Beyond Feelings: What’s Missing from Trauma-Centered Adoption Narratives,” problematizes overly pathological framings of adoption and encourages consideration for the ways adoption—and trauma—exist as products of institutional failures.
Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1353/ado.0.0016
Abstract: Many have criticized adoption as an abortion alternative due to the emotional trauma involved. However, these critiques often miss a more concerning aspect of adoption: what factors produce “adoptable” children? This essay problematizes overly pathological framings of adoption and encourages consideration for the ways adoption—and trauma—exist as products of institutional failures.