Submissions are invited for papers for a special 2-day conference on Transnational and Transracial Adoption in North American Culture to be held at the University of Turku, Finland, August 27-28, 2015. The theme of the conference reflects the increasing attention that has been paid to this field in recent years. To what extent does the process of international adoption reflect imperious inequalities around the world, or can international adoption and the personal experiences of international adoptees today be seen more positively as what has been called the richness of “adoptive being” ?
SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS
Transnational and Transracial Adoption in North American Culture
University of Turku, Finland, 27-28 August 2015
Submissions are invited for papers for a special 2-day conference on Transnational and Transracial Adoption in North American Culture to be held at the University of Turku, Finland, August 27-28, 2015. The theme of the conference reflects the increasing attention that has been paid to this field in recent years. To what extent does the process of international adoption reflect imperious inequalities around the world, or can international adoption and the personal experiences of international adoptees today be seen more positively as what has been called the richness of “adoptive being” ?
Contributions are welcomed from a range of fields, such as literature, postcolonial studies, international relations, political science, aboriginal affairs, historical and cultural studies, film, and so on.
Possible areas of investigation
“Stolen Generations”: Assimilationist policies past and present
Border Crossings: Transcendence or constraint?
Autobiography and Life Writings vs. Writing “on behalf of” the adoptee
Legal issues: Changing trends
Multiple (conflicting?) perspectives: adoptee, adoptive parents, birth mother, father
Differences around the world: legal, ethical, social, literary, etc.
New Reproductive Technologies
Confirmed Plenary Speakers: Claudia Castañeda (Emerson College), John McLeod (University of Leeds)
Presentations will be allowed 20 minutes + 10 minutes for discussion.
An abstract of the proposal, maximum 150 words, with a brief CV of the author(s), maximum 40 words, should be submitted in MS Word format by 19 June 2015 (extended deadline) to Pirjo Ahokas piraho@utu.fi and Mark Shackleton mark.shackleton@helsinki.fi
We will reply to authors by the end of June.
Registration: 50e (Student 25e).
Details about registration, scheduling of sessions and accommodation will be forthcoming.
Conference Organizers: The Finnish American Studies Association (FASA) and Comparative Literature, University of Turku in collaboration with the John Morton Center for North American Studies, University of Turku.
More information: https://sites.google.com/site/fasafinnishamericanstudies/home
