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Adoption--Global Perspective and Ethical Issues.


Adoption--Global Perspective and Ethical Issues. Jagannath Pati (ed). New Delhi New Delhi (dĕl`ē), city (1991 pop. 294,149), capital of India and of Delhi state, N central India, on the right bank of the Yamuna River. : Concept Publishing Company. 2007. Pp 314. Rs 650 (Hardback).

The 12 papers collected in this book have been written by people whose work is in some way or other related to adoption, child rights, childhood education, social work and community welfare. The papers are clubbed under three sections. The first section deals with childhood, attachment issues and child rights, the second with global issues relating to relating to relate prepconcernant

relating to relate prepbezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc 
 adoption, and the third with ethical issues related to the process of adoption. There are five annexures dealing with the Declaration on Social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, often referred to as CRC or UNCRC, is an international convention setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children. , Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Inter-country Adoption, the Rights of the Child in Internal and Inter-country Adoption, Ethics and Principles and Conclusions and Recommendations of the Special Commission on the Hague Convention The longtime status of Netherlands as a largely neutral nation in international conflicts and the corresponding ascendance of The Hague as a primary location for diplomatic and international conferences has led to several negotiated conventions over the years being termed the  on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption.

The family is always seen as a unit of civilisation that offers the healthiest environment for the growth of a child. The family provides the ideal environment for nurturing the child. Children abandoned by their parents, neglected and abused, rendered homeless because of war or natural calamities, affected by HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States.  or have special needs are put into institutional care in the developing countries and foster care in Europe and the US. However, the experiences of children in institutional care point towards neglect and exploitation. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that if a child is put in institutional care, the institutions should be evaluated regularly. However, many states have not evaluated the care given to children placed in institutions and foster care. The book points out the importance of enhancing our knowledge of child development and childcare.

Research in the area of children and childhood is increasing in the social sciences. In this context, the book highlights the issues related to adoption--the construction of childhood, the importance of a family for destitute des·ti·tute  
adj.
1. Utterly lacking; devoid: Young recruits destitute of any experience.

2. Lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished. See Synonyms at poor.
 children, the effects of institutional living on children, the status rights of children in the UK, innovative adoption practices, with special reference to open adoption open adoption
n.
An adoption arrangement in which contact between the adoptive and biological parents is allowed or maintained.
, adoptions within and to the US, transnational adoption and its effects on the child, ethical issues relating to procreation PROCREATION. The generation of children; it is an act authorized by the law of nature: one of the principal ends of marriage is the procreation of children. Inst. tit. 2, in pr. , adoption counselling, escorting children in inter-country adoption, heritage camps and tours and ethical practices and safeguards in adoption placement.

The first section of the book has a paper by Reesa Sorin and Geeta Galloway that delineates ten constructions of childhood that are recurring themes in popular fiction and history books. They point out that it is important for childcare workers and policy makers to have knowledge of childhood constructions in order to understand childhood reality.

The paper by Louise Williams and Valji Bagda highlights the importance of strengthening family care efforts for helpless children in India, parental education and common sense parenting of children. Chivonne Hagan's paper argues that early institutionalisation This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article.  of children leads to attachment difficulties for them later in life. Hence, all such children need help to adjust and one needs to focus on such needs of children. Peter Seliman focuses on the status of children and child rights in the UK. He also presents a comparative analysis of children's rights The opportunity for children to participate in political and legal decisions that affect them; in a broad sense, the rights of children to live free from hunger, abuse, neglect, and other inhumane conditions.  in the UK and Korea.

Part two of the book looks at global issues of adoption. Paul Sachdev's paper looks at the interesting concept of Open Adoption that is quite common in the western countries, unlike in the developing countries. He underscores the need for more research to understand the effects of Open Adoption on children as well as family relationships.

Josephine Ruggiero discusses the complex process involved in intercountry adoptions in the US. She traces the increase in inter-country adoptions in the US to the aftermath of World War II. However, she points out that such adoption in the US is declining due to an increase in domestic adoptions Domestic adoptionis the placing of a child within the same country as the child’s birth. This may be achieved through a private agency or the state, such as foster care.  as well as the unethical unethical

said of conduct not conforming with professional ethics.
 practices noticed in international adoptions International adoption, or intercountry adoption, is a type of adoption in which an individual or couple becomes the legal and permanent parents of a child born in another country. . Pal Ahluwalia differentiates between trans-racial and trans-national adoptions. He points out that both forms of adoption are prevalent in the US and the UK. The children adopted through this method face racial discrimination but are very resilient. The benefits of trans-racial adoptions are being questioned. A significant consequence, the author believes, is that adoptive parents adoptive parents Social medicine Persons who lawfully adopt children, who are generally married couples but may be single persons, including homosexuals; most APs are married  are aware of the racism faced by their adopted children. He also points out that the new trend of celebrating the culture and heritage of the adopted child has come under criticism as being a form of racism.

Part three of the book looks at the ethical issues related to adoption. The paper by Hoksbergen and Laak discusses the forgotten ethics and values in modern procreation. They discuss the ethical issues involved in the use of modern technology for procreation, surrogate motherhood surrogate motherhood

Practice in which a woman (the surrogate mother) bears a child for a couple unable to produce children, usually because the wife is infertile or unable to carry a pregnancy to term.
, the dilemma of whether or not to inform such children of their origin etc. The paper by Nilima Mehta discusses the ethical dilemmas in adoption counselling. Her paper points out that the failure to identify and make priorities regarding the ethical standards in adoption has led to a lack of ethical decision-making and a dearth of adoption-related services. The main challenge is ethical counselling of the birth parents, the adoptee and the adoptive parents by trained social workers.

Groza and Proctor discuss the little researched area in international adoption--escorting children from the country of origin to the country of adoption. Futia's paper highlights the increasing popularity of heritage camps and tours for reconnecting adopted children to their roots. The main objective of these camps and tours is to help the children come to terms with their identity and attachment issues.

Pati's paper traces the development of adoption practices in India. He also points to the lack of an accurate database on children and support systems to achieve targets. He emphasises on the rights-based rather than needs-based approach for children in need of care and protection and the need to shift from residential care to family-based care of children. Procedural delays in adoption need to be curtailed to encourage adoption of children.

On the whole, the book takes up many important and interesting issues related to adoption, child rights and attachment issues, issues of identity, innovative practices and related ethical issues. However, more in-depth and detailed analysis supported by theoretical research work in the area could have been done before putting the book together.

Manisha Rao

Lecturer

PG Department of Sociology Noun 1. department of sociology - the academic department responsible for teaching and research in sociology
sociology department

academic department - a division of a school that is responsible for a given subject
 

SNDT Women's University Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University (SNDT) is a women's university in the city of Mumbai, India. The university headquarters are situated at Churchgate in South Mumbai, while the main campus is in Santacruz - Juhu area of Mumbai.  

Mumbai-400 020.
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Author:Rao, Manisha
Publication:Journal of Social and Economic Development
Article Type:Book review
Date:Jan 1, 2009
Words:1082
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