Kinder-egg children : identities and experiences of transracially adopted children

The aim of my study was to shed some light on the processes of how transracially adopted (TRA) children construct their ethnic and racial identities and to examine these identities in relation to their experiences outside of the home, mainly within the school context. Twelve TRA children, aged 8-12 years old, and their families participated in this study. It is a qualitative, grounded theory project, in which data was collected via in-depth interviews, observations and creative activities (drawings, photographs and games). The adoptees distinguish between their racial and ethnic identities as they consider themselves to be physically black and culturally white. The study demonstrates how a black TRA child has access to whiteness due to the situation in which she grew up, this is to say – white middle-upper class family, school and neighbourhood. It explores the process in which the TRA children reject any affiliation with the Ethiopian community. The study supports contemporary theories that see identities as not fixed and unitary but as something that individuals are able to negotiate. It explores how the adoptees position themselves in various categories at the same time, even if at first glance they seem to be opposite categories such as black and white. It challenges the notion of ‘correct social categories’ and pursues the notions of multiple subjectivities and positioning. The adoptees’ experiences highlight the role socioeconomic status plays in the construction of white identity in middle- and upper-middle milieus, and how whiteness became conflated with the privilege of “normalcy”. This study proves once again the significance of the triangle child-home-school. Furthermore, the connections between positive schooling social experience, academic success and financial resources come out clearly in this study.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo