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Bates College

Publication Date

Spring 2015

Program Name

South Africa: Multiculturalism and Human Rights

Abstract

This independent research project focuses on transracial adoption in Cape Town, South Africa. Specifically, this project tries to fill in the gaps of past research by providing how black young adults perceive white adoptive parents adopting black children in Cape Town. Past research has not focused solely on the perspectives of blacks. Therefore, this research will be increasing the literature around transracial adoption in Cape Town and in South Africa.

Since this form of adoption was only made legal in 1991, it is an extremely relevant issue in this country particularly since the minority race (whites) is adopting the majority race (blacks). This research is useful to South Africa and its people because increasing the knowledge of each races’ opinions will help for a healthy and successful transracial adoption discussion to happen and hopefully improve transracial adoption. From the findings, it is thought that black young adults currently in the Cape Town area have positive opinions towards whites adopting and raising black children. Furthermore, while these participants perceived transracial adoption as a positive form of adoption, they also expressed the importance of adoptive parents being culturally conscious when raising their adopted children.

Disciplines

African Studies | Community-Based Research | Family, Life Course, and Society | Race and Ethnicity | Sociology of Culture

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