NPA Community Class - "Histories and Cultures of American Transnational Adoption"
September 3 - December 15, 2025
The Network of Politicized Adoptees (NPA) is thrilled to partner once again with Dr. Kim Park Nelson to bring you the NPA Community Class, a series of eight classes/discussions focused on Histories and Cultures of American Transnational Adoption.
- Course title: “Histories and Cultures of American Transnational Adoption”
- For: Adult Adoptees who identify as BIPOC transracial adoptees
- Designed and led by: Kim Park Nelson, Ph.D.
- When: September 3 - December 15, 2025, every other Monday 6-8pm CDT (exception: 1st class is on Wed 9/3 and 7th class skips 2 weeks)
- Where: In-person only in Hamline/Midway St Paul neighborhood
- Tuition Cost: $100-300 sliding scale (scholarships available)
- -Work Load: ~15 hours per month, including classes and reading pre-work (There will be a book or equivalent to that assigned per class. Your reading speed will determine how much time you need to prep.)
- DEADLINE TO REGISTER is August 4, 2025
Class description: This course examines transnational adoption and the experience of transnational/transracial adoptees in America over the past 75 years. It centers on the history and policy of Asian and other transracial adoption to and within the U.S. We will center on the experience of transnational/transracial adoptees, including social and cultural production of some of these populations. We will be considering transnational/transracial adoption in the changing political and historical contexts during its long history.
Through reading and discussion, we will focus on the following questions: What does it mean to be transnationally adopted for adoptees and others? How has the history and policy of transnational adoption been shaped and changed? How do the experiences of different groups of transnational adoptees relate to one another? How does our understanding of adoptee experience change our understanding of family? Of what it means to be American? Of what it means to be an American person of color? In addition, you will be asked to think and discuss about how the practice of transnational adoption impacts individuals in the adoption triad, communities, and nations personally, culturally, economically and politically.
In addition to learning about transnational adoption, this course will provide a forum for you to raise questions, express opinions, and exchange ideas with your adoptee peers. Because each of us brings a unique perspective to what we read based on the rich differences among us—from our individual experiences, personal histories, and diverse backgrounds—working together will help everyone to gain the greatest possible understanding from the assigned texts. Engaged, analytical and lively, but respectful discussion based in the common readings is what this course is all about; for this reason we ask that you have completed the assigned text before class discussion.
