Description
Book SynopsisPrior to World War II, international adoption was virtually unknown, but in the twenty-first century, it has become a common practice, touching almost every American. How did the adoption of foreign children by U.S. families become an essential part of American culture in such a short period of time? Rachel Rains Winslow investigates this question, following the trail from Europe to South Korea and then to Vietnam. Drawing on a wide range of political and cultural sources, The Best Possible Immigrants shows how a combination of domestic trends, foreign policies, and international instabilities created an environment in which adoption flourished.
Winslow contends that international adoption succeeded as a long-term solution to child welfare not because it was in the interest of one group but because it was in the interest of many. Focusing on the three decades after World War II, she argues that the system came about through the work of governments, social welfare profess
Trade Review
"The Best Possible Immigrants makes a significant and impressive contribution to the now-expanding literature of the history of adoption in the United States and, more specifically, to the history of transnational adoption to the United States. It will be of great interest to scholars of immigration policy and law." * Karen Balcom, McMaster University *
"Well-written and insightful, The Best Possible Immigrants emphasizes the convergence and conflict between various group and institutional interests in the history of international adoption, combining policy with cultural history. Winslow has a real talent for clearly explaining the complex relationships between public actors and the private interests that mobilized through voluntary organizations." * Ellen Herman, University of Oregon *
