Adoption in the U.S.: The Emergence of a Social Movement

Authors

Frances A. DellaCava, Lehman College/City University of New York
Norma Kolko Phillips, Lehman College/City University of New York
Madeline H. Engel, Lehman College/City University of New York

Keywords

Adoption, social movement, social policy

Abstract

The Adoption Movement, which has been evolving in the U.S. since the late 1970s, is now fully formed. As a proactive, reformative social movement, adoption has reached the organizational, or institutional, stage. Evidence is seen in the roles assumed by government and voluntary agencies and organizations, as well as other systems in society, to support adoption, and in the extent to which adoption has been infused in the American culture, making it a part of our everyday landscape. Implications of the adoption movement for the helping professions are discussed, as is its impact on increasing cultural and racial diversity in the U.S.

Recommended Citation

DellaCava, Frances A.; Phillips, Norma Kolko; and Engel, Madeline H. (2004) "Adoption in the U.S.: The Emergence of a Social Movement," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 31: Iss. 4, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3030
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol31/iss4/8