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Week7InternationalAdoptionsfromChina_W22.pptxWeek 7
International Adoptions from China
Internal Weather Report
Pre-Class Learning Activities
Read: Johnson, K. A. (2009). Adoption. In D. Pong (Ed.), Encyclopedia of modern China (Vol 1, pp 3-8). (in Files)
Read: Johnson, K. A. (2004). Chapter Four: Infant abandonment and adoption in China, 1996-2000. (pp. 75-134). *Separated into 3 files
Engage with Chinese adoptee voices: Read: “Precious Jade” by Jenna Cook, Chinese adoptee(files)
Historical background on Chinese Adoption
Western discourse of Chinese adoption erroneously presumes no tradition of adoption in China due to:
A) influence of Confucianism on Chinese culture and its emphasis on patrilineal biological ties
B) Normative Chinese texts argue against adoption
C) Traditional Chinese law prohibited adoption outside patrilineal surname lines
In reality: Adoption documented as quite common for hundreds of years
Strains of Confucianism as well as pop culture support adoptive ties outside as well as inside blood lines—of both boys and girls—to build family and kinship
Earlier in history: Law Versus popular practice
Dates back to 18th century, late imperial times and earlier--Practices varied by region, class ethnicity
Only legal legitimated purpose was to obtain a male heir for the patrilineal family
Supposed to be obtained from close male relatives, ideally, if not exclusively from a brother
BUT in popular practice …. Many purposes:
1. Obtain a “little daughter in law,” adoption of future bride for son
2. Adopt girl believing this would overcome infertility and lead to birth of son
3. Sonless couples might adopt daughter’s husband to provide a male heir (thus, could involve an adult)
4. Provide homes for orphans (parents dead) or foundlings (abandoned children)
Contemporary China & Adoption Impact of the One child Policy
Adoption of little daughters-in-law virtually disappeared
Most common, adopting girls as daughters, nonrelative adoption more common than adoption from relatives
Adoption increased in 1980’s and 1990’s
Vast majority not registered
Most girls
Direct result of high-pressure birth-planning campaigns beginning with start of one-child policy in 1979
1 child birth limit, largely successful in urban areas by early 1980’s; rural resistance, government loosened limit to 2 children in countryside if first birth was a girl
Impacts of the one child policy (cont)
Adoption used to hide and keep second and third daughters and try again for son
Birth planning officials closed loophole of using adoption to have more children new birth planning regulations forbade adoption except by childless couples over thirty-five
Birth parents who hid a child by adopting the child out would not be allowed an additional birth if caught
Adoptive parents who had another child or were too young subjected to stiff birth-planning penalties
In 1991 these birth planning regulations became the nation’s first adoption law
Waves of female-infant abandonment
Strict, often coercive birth planning campaigns
+
highly restrictive one-child adoption regulations
= waves of female infant abandonment
Spontaneous adoption continued of these foundlings
Most in violation of the law and so unregistered
Numbers of abandoned children reaching orphanages unprecedented, orphanages overcrowded, underfunded, shortage of medical care and staffing
International Adoption
Introduction of International Adoption
Having already severely restricted the pool of legally qualified domestic adoptees to bolster population-control policies, government turned to international adoption, limited entirely to children in orphanages
Goals: 1) limit overcrowding; 2) provide source of funding for orphanage upkeep, medical supplies, staffing
Peaked mid 2000s
Improved conditions of orphanages
But further financially incentivized orphanage directors to favor international over domestic adoption
In 2000 government slightly eased restrictions on domestic adoption but financial bias toward international adoption, domestic adoption remained difficult
Decreasing international adoption, increasing domestic adoption
Dearth of healthy babies began to fall after 2000 due to decreased abandonment in the context of increasing wealth, lowered fertility rates (also correlated with wealth) and increased domestic adoption
Much of domestic adoption happens before abandoned children reach the orphanage and remains unregistered
Scandals of baby trafficking & forcible removal of over quota children emerge
Orphanage composition changing at this time to children with moderate to severe special needs
Enactment of Hague Convention governing international adoption
Mandates domestic adoption should always take precedence over international adoption
Since its start in 1991, China’s international adoption program has violated this principle
China’s international program born of coercive government population-control policies that both stocked child abandonment but also intentionally restricted domestic adoption
China signed Hague Agreement in 2005
Today adoptions from China primarily special needs adoptions
Go Frolic
See You Next Week!
