In loco parentis: The adoption plot in Dutch-language colonial children's books

3Citations
Citations of this article
6Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

This article analyzes the "adoption plot" in colonial children's literature from the 1950s, which narrates how black children are socialized into Western civilization. Many children's books about the colonies have been inspired by missionary stories dating from the 1900s about the conversion of black children. Children's literature generalizes these stories into abstract symbolic structures that can be easily reiterated in other contexts. The enduring relevance of the adoption plot is not to be underestimated. We still tend to conceive of Third World children as essentially parentless and as such, up for adoption by First World citizens, as the imagery of international relief demonstrates.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Wesseling, E. (2009). In loco parentis: The adoption plot in Dutch-language colonial children’s books. Tydskrif Vir Letterkunde. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde Association. https://doi.org/10.4314/tvl.v46i1.29845

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free