Howard Altstein - Böcker

Transracial adoption is a controversial area of research and practice in child welfare. The authors, a sociologist and a social worker, have contributed much to its understanding through a series of studies that began in 1972 of white families that have adopted nonwhite (mostly black) children. This book reports on the latest phase of their research, which was based on interviews with most of the families and adoptees in the original sample. The purpose of the interviews was to explore the adoptees' racial identities and self-esteem, and the long-term effects of transracial adoption on the adoptees and their families. The authors present their findings in a clear, vivid, and coherent manner; objectively examine the issues raised by the study; and thoughtfully formulate implications for policy and practice. The study supports their major conclusion that `where no appropriate permanent inracial placement can be found for a non-white child . . . transracial adoption should be seriously considered.' A timely, unique, and sophisticated work that should be read widely by students, practitioners, and policymakers in child welfare. ChoiceReporting on the third phase of a 14-year study of transracial adoption, this volume focuses on the adoption of non-white children by white families. It includes personal interviews with 96 mothers and fathers and 218 children which help to answer questions about the long-term effects of transracial adoption on the adoptees' mental and emotional health and their racial identities. These valuable empirical data are combined with discussions of the practices of adoption agencies, recent court rulings, and alternative forms of adoption.

Howard Altstein and Rita Simon are the editors of this volume which describes the experiences of foreign born adoptees and their families. Countries discussed include the United States, Canada, Norway, West Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Israel. Agency sponsored intercountry adoption (ICA) first began with the end of World War II when European orphans were adopted by American families. This book provides a brief history of intercountry adoption; specifies the rules and procedures employed in the various countries; and evaluates the pros and cons and successes and failures in the seven nations.For each country the book provides information on the number of transracial and intercountry adoptions since the end of World War II (or 1960). It discusses each country's formal statutes on transracial and intercountry adoption, and describes the organizations and/or social movements advocating such adoptions as well as those opposing them. The editors conclude with a summary, drawn from the case studies, which assesses the successes and failures of the adoption policies and experiences. Compiled by leading scholars in the adoption field, this volume is designed for use by social workers, adoption agencies, sociologists, and psychologists.

Adoption, Race, and Identity examines the innovative placement of nonwhite (predominantly black) adoptees with white parents. In addition to reviewing recent court decisions involving race as a factor in child custody, authors Rita Simon and Howard Altstein examine the research to date on this topic, including adoption policy and practice as carried out by some adoption agencies. Although there are a few anecdotal portraits of typical situations, the work is almost exclusively devoted to actual responses to questions about the experiences of these families based on a longitudinal study that began in 1971. The authors conclude that the majority of families and their adopted children are well integrated into society and that the adoptees now, as adolescents, do not see themselves as any less black than their in-racially raised peers.Chapters 1 and 2 examine the historical and legal background of transracial adoption. The authors discuss numbers and trends, founding social movements, agency practices, and the legal status of transracial adoption over the past forty years. They present the arguments by the National Association of Black Social Workers against the practice, and responses offered by various adoption networks. Chapter 3 details the authors' research method for the study of families and their transracial adoptees, and integrates a review of the research literature. The following chapter provides demographic and social psychological data on the 200 families involved in the study, and examines their stated reasons for adopting. Chapters 5 and 6 evaluate the responses to the study by parents and by adoptees and their siblings. Chapter 7 reviews the families' experiences from both the parents' and children's perspectives, and Chapters 8 and 9 discuss problem families and ordinary families, respectively. The work closes with an examination of alternative forms of child placement, a discussion of social policy, and suggestions for future research and practice. This study will prove valuable to social workers, adoption agencies, and scholars and practitioners in related fields.

Global Perspectives on Social Issues: Marriage and Divorce examines the history of marriage and divorce and the role played by both institutions in the lives of citizens around the world. Using a broad range of detailed information and statistics from twenty-five countries, Rita J. Simon and Howard Altstein explore the regulations and customs surrounding marriage and divorce from a global perspective. Topics such as social restrictions on marriage, marriage and sexual identity, property transference, and child custody are discussed, with examples drawn from a wide range of cultures. The second book in the Global Perspectives series, Marriage and Divorce employs both sociological and anthropological techniques to address a variety of fascinating issues about the place of marriage and divorce in modern life. The volume serves as an interesting and valuable resource for anyone interested in these social institutions.

For over thirty years, Rita J. Simon and Howard Altstein have been studying transracial and intercountry adoptions. The families they have studied include white parents; African American, Hispanic, and Korean children; and Jewish Stars of David families, among others. This book summarizes their findings and compares them with other studies. It is an invaluable source of data on the number and frequency of transracial and intercountry adoptions and on the attitudes toward them. Moreover, it strongly advocates and demonstrates the positive effects of transracial and intercountry adoptions, countering public policy initiatives that emphasize 'same race' adoption practices.

In this new volume, two distinguished professors of social work debate the question of whether family preservation or adoption serves the best interests of abused and neglected children. Arguing the merits of keeping families together whenever possible, Ruth G. McRoy examines the background, theory, and effectiveness of family preservation programs. She provides practical recommendations and pays particular attention to the concerns of African American children. Claiming that there is insufficient evidence that family preservation actually works, Howard Altstein counters that children from truly dysfunctional families should be given the chance for stable lives through adoption rather than left in limbo.