Chinese Adoption Marketing

Joy Kirchhoff

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: College of Liberal Arts

Major: MA.FINEARTS/GEN

Faculty Research Mentor: Lydia Kaplan

Abstract:

This study investigated the perceptions and understanding of Chinese adoption among those who have experienced it personally or through family. People's perceptions of Chinese children and adoptive families have been greatly influenced by public narratives and media representations as international adoption has grown in popularity in recent decades. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the accuracy of these depictions and how they affect actual experiences. The purpose of this study is to learn more about how those involved in Chinese adoption understand these messages and how they think adoption is portrayed to the general public. Participants who were either adopted from China or had direct experience with Chinese adoption were interviewed. Responses revealed that although many participants acknowledged the good intentions in media and adoption messages, they also pointed out stereotypes and oversimplified narratives that fail to adequately capture the complexity of adoptees' or families' experiences. The results indicate that in order to promote a more positive public perception of Chinese adoption, more accurate, nuanced, and culturally sensitive depictions are required.