About this item
The perfect starting point for parents of transracially adopted children and those who are considering adopting transracially. The Interracial Adoption Option is a personal guide to interracial adoption which draws on the lives and experiences of the authors, a white US couple, who adopt two African-American children. Starting from their decision to adopt their first child interracially, it describes the situations and decisions that followed as a result of their child's racial background. The authors' combine their personal experiences with practical advice. They address common issues like where to live, how to choose a doctor and how to take care of your child's hair and skin. They also tackle difficult questions such as, 'Does race matter?' 'Why is a healthy racial identity important?' and 'What do I do if I suspect my child is being treated unfairly because of his/her race?' An accessible introduction to the complex world of interracial adoption, this book is the first book you need to read if you are thinking of adopting transracially or have done so already.
About the Author
Marlene G. Fine, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita at Simmons University, Boston, MA. Professor Fine specializes in issues of gender, race, and culture. Her most recent book (co-authored with Fern L. Johnson) is The Interracial Adoption Option: Creating a Family Across Race (JKP, 2013) . She is also the author of Building Successful Multicultural Organizations: Challenges and Opportunities (Quorum Books, 1995) . Her early research focused on the representation of African Americans in network television; more recent work focuses on women and leadership, cultural diversity in the workplace, and parenting across race and gender differences. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals, including Journal of Business Communication, Women's Studies in Communication, Journal of Communication, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Public Personnel Management, Phylon, Quarterly Journal of Speech, and The New England Journal of Public Policy, and in various edited books. Professor Fine is a facilitator for the YW Boston Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity and often speaks (with Fern L. Johnson) on race and adoption.
